Talk:Google Earth

Orthophotography

The article states "Unlike the satellite images, the orthophotography has a perspective from close to the surface, leading to distortions when used in a mosaic." If this is true, then it isn't orthophotography - it's just bog standard aerial photography. --Bazonka 23rd July 2006

Ahh, finally

Something I can take the world over with. To be serious, NASA world wind is more of a national threat because of its ability to be opensource. However the terra server connected to google earth could be a problem if someone could enable a live-feed satellite script with a gps tracking device. Skynet terminators all around. How about a nice game of chess?--Cyberman 23:36, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

Nunavut

How did everyone miss the fact that the territory of Nunavut in Canada is missing!? Has this already been discussed or am I missing something here...because I see no mention of it anywhere?

--Scott110 8 February 2006

Nunavut exists today. Maybe it was added with the April 18 update [1]? The text should perhaps be revised/removed? --Strangnet 17:08, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

Google Earth live video feeds?

Some satellites capture live video footage of the ground, so what would it take for Google Earth to give us live video feeds of anywhere we decide to look in the world?

--Shultz 10:50, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

A million satellites that can cover every point on Earth simultaneously? EamonnPKeane 21:25, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Well it obviously isn't very plausible right now, but in reality a very very wide angled-lense could do just this.. With enough correct algorithms attached to it to be able to display the image on the globe.. and the camera being capable of at least multiple gigapixels or a terapixel.. this is certainly somewhat plausible, just not in the very near future. Check this out. Gigapixel cameras already exist. Drumguy8800 22:31, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

I'm not so sure that would be legal to have live feeds. You can easily carry out immensely accurate espionage and stalk someone as much as you want. Do you think i'm right? (I am extremely open to criticism on that). Ardo 02:29, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

Three words: Indoors; cloud cover. - Kookykman|(t)e 20:59, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

off topic

This section (Google Earth live video feeds?) is off-topic, because it's about the subject of the article, not about the article itself. I'd like to remove this section, but I will not do that today. --HelgeStenstrom 20:24, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Wiki GPS References

I think we should create a page to list interesting links to the Lat and Long. Maybe all geographic discussions in Google should have their position in the same format so we can see them easily on Goggle Earth (grin). The other thing is that interesting pictures like the stealth fighter at 34D 38M 14.60 and 118D 04M 55.41 will disappear when the image is updated - sad! Maybe we need to archive the interesting pictures!--Dajuroka 06:36, 8 January 2006 (UTC)

Photo sources

Besides the Keyhole images, does Google Earth use USGS U.S. urban aerial photos? I guess so. For example, I found Google Earth's Space Needle (Seattle) (47.620496°, -122.349284°) looks just the same as NASA World Wind's (see the shadow). -- Toytoy 09:14, July 19, 2005 (UTC)

Information on image provider could generally be found at the bottom of the satellite image. It would be specified whether the image comes from EarthSat, DigitalGlobe, Tele Atlas, etc. --Plastictv 07:38, 1 September 2005 (UTC)

Speed

It could be faster, my average speed is 12 Kbps, maximum speed is 60 Kbps (on a 10 Mbps connection), it took several minutes for the "Three Sisters" to appear.--Jerryseinfeld 14:24, 20 July 2005 (UTC)

I am an ADSL user living in Taiwan. It took me less than 2 minutes to download the "Three Sisters" on my 1280x800 monitor. Google Earth usualy runs a little faster than NASA World Wind on my connection. -- Toytoy 15:15, July 20, 2005 (UTC)

SnowCrash?

I might just be a nerd, but this whole idea seems remarkably similar to the Earth program in the cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson. I mean, it's not like its a completely new idea, but still. --_mich 16:21, July 25, 2005 (UTC)

Help!

How does one add locations that everyone else can see? I've joined the Keyhole Community, found a forum where I seem to have posting rights, but I can't find a button that says "new post". Thought my fellow Wikipedians might know....

Taiwan

I don't think that Taiwan is listed as a province of the People's Republic of China anymore, on Google Earth nor Google Maps].[2] Theshibboleth 21:35, 25 November 2005 (UTC)

It's listed as Taiwan

Mac OS X versione

Link http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/20124 ( mirror http://loadup.dr.ag/s/http__www.macupdate.com_download.php_20124_GoogleEarthMac.dmg.HtMl ) link for download http://rapidshare.de/files/8860896/Google_Earth.zip.html

Upload a *.kmz

Wikipedia's Upload File function currently does not support *.kmz uploads -- I think that, given the power and influence and wealth of data on the Google Earth program, that it would only be fitting to allow *.kmz uploads on wiki sites.

The *.kmz is Google Earth's placemark (or other addon like 3D render) feature. It would be very instrumental when an encyclopedia article gives an address.. or for all geographic pages. The *.kmz file works just like a link in any browser -- a user clicks, and google earth zooms to that location. You can specify tilt, orientation, etc. Could even be used for a "virtual tour" of the Grand Canyon -- which is very impressive, if anyone hasn't checked it out on Google Earth. Anyway, I'm interested in doing a mass implementation on the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex pages.. both for cities and structures in the cities. Drumguy8800 07:30, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

I agree that kmz and kml files should be uploadable - not for the GE page but so geographical locations could have the file at the bootom. Flutefluteflute

Windows versions

It says that this program is available only for Windows 2000 and XP. Is it going to be discontinued for later versions?? Georgia guy 22:47, 4 January 2006 (UTC)

It does seem to be for nt5+ only. Google tends to do this, supporting only NT versions. Much easier for them to maintain. The only Google software that still runs on early systems is Google Toolbar, and maybe picasa --219.78.114.108 02:26, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Take a look at the Google Earth Community, a forum/bulitin board for GE users. You can could post KMZ files there and link to them from Wikipedia. You can also find out if anyone else is working on (or has already completed) a similar project.

Sea level

The cursor also gives on-screen feedback on the height (above sea level) of all geographical locations. But when the cursor is over the sea surface proper, it can indicate that the sea level falls and rises like a hilly landscape! Also, higher definition views of the sea show it as a hilly area. Any explanation welcome.Politis 17:53, 27 January 2006 (UTC)

From observing the coast off sub saharan africa, I noticed the water looked like a shelf that dropped out into the atlantic ocean. Maybe it shows a rough elevation under the water (like the seabed)...? Ardo 02:33, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

Units of measurement

"Notably, the default setting is to U.S. customary units, despite metric units being the international standard used by every nation but 4 (the U.S, Liberia, Myanmar, and the United Kingdom all using the slightly different British measures), leading to accusations of cultural imperialism."

This should be checked. I don't know about the others, but the UK officially uses metric (is there an exception for beer?) The US doesn't use Imperial in any case; US measurements follow their own standard. Njál 23:44, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

There is a lot of talk on this in the metrication article, which states that only UK, US, Liberia and Myammar have not *fully* converted to the metric system. UK is largely converted, but US is not. I think the phrasing in this article may be misleading.

I love the attempted defence of US-bias. As I read it, much of the web is biased so Google should be also. Although Google is a US corporation, I wonder if the majority of their customers really are American. 23:14, 28 March 2006 (UTC)

Please provide references for this assertion. Smells like editor invention to me. Products made in the US nearly always provide US units as default. A tempest in a teapot over less than ideal defaults, or editor invention? JoshuaRodman 10:19, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

External links and definition of 'Google Earth'

Maybe the number of external links should be cut down a little. Some of the titles are POV ("The Best German Google Earth Community") — but there are at least two German forums listed, and I don't know if noe or the other has more claim to Wikipedia linkage. Is there a guideline on what to name external links on Wikipedia? I think it would be good practice to make the name of the website the link, with explanatory comments in brackets if necessary.

A separate article dealing with the Google Earth community would be a good place for these links. It's somewhat unclear whether the article is about the computer program, its data, or the entire project. Njál 23:45, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

The status of Tibet is disputed?

I don't think the current status of Tibet is debatable enough for its inclusion under China on a contemporary map to be considered controversial. It's not recognized as an independent state by any country, nor does it have any de facto sovereignty. There's nothing wrong factually with not labelling Lhasa a national capital, either. So where does the dispute come from? Even if you can't stand the democracy record of Chinese government or the way they took over Tibet, please, leave this political statement out of the article - Google simply stayed neutral.

Images uploaded from google earth

What lisence should we use when uploading an image from Google earth to Wikipedia??????? Please help me, I have to upload images on the Greek Wikipedia. --87.202.71.21 14:16, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

Previously, there used to be a satellite image of Greenvale, Victoria on its page. However, this was taken off because copyright problems with it. I was wondering if there is any way possible to make Google Earth images legal. --DChiuch 01:07, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

Images/screenshots of Google Earth are copyrighted. Therefore, they can only be used if it's fair use. For example, an image of Google Earth used on the Google Earth article depicting Google Earth and/or the Google company would be considered as fair use, but using it to depict other items off-topicly (I.e. The building of a company not related to Google) would not be fair use as far as I know. It would be great to have a source of free satellite images, though... I believe that most NASA images are not copyrighted.—G.He 00:05, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

Just use NASA World Wind. All images are in the public domain. - Kookykman|(t)e 22:56, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

Newer Screenshots?

I think the screenshots on the article are out-dated (That is definitely not the current version (I think...), regardless of the OS [Note the logo of Google Earth at the top-left corner]). (Uploaded newer version)—G.He 16:30, 20 May 2006 (UTC) Should it be updated or will it not make much of a difference?—G.He 00:08, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

Given the newest versions of Google Earth and the fact that the 3d abilities are one of its major features, does anybody else think a new image is in order? Nrbelex ^(talk) 06:11, 13 June 2006 (UTC)

Newer Windows Versions?

Why isi it that Google Earth rleased its last Windows Version on November 18, 2005? We are in June 2006! Please check into this! --195.229.242.54 13:02, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

There's already a new version of Google Earth: version 4 BETA. Please update the article.

Google Earth 4.0

Google Earth 4.0 Beta Is now Available

Download Page

The fallowing is Pritty Close to a Quote from the websight. Please Paraphrase if you want to include it in the article.--E-Bod 02:48, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

Linux Support

Google Earth in French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

improved the terrain

• peaks and valleys are more realistic

The Fallowing is What i noticed when i used it (remember WP:NOR, I'm not sure if we can use this). I typed this in a rush. Feel free to corect my spelling. I will go back to fix my spelling later.

• Diffrent look
• Bookmarks can be Edited Im mutch more Detail like Altitue and lat/longe-itude
• E-mail Placemartk, View, Image
• Share post
• You can show lat/longi-tude on map (I don't know if this is new or not)
• You can turn of the Atmosphere (The halo around the planet but i don't know if this is new)
  • Usefull if you put a new planet Image overlayy
    • I noticed one of Planet image overlays that work for regualr GE don't work while the Main image file for the planess do--E-Bod 03:17, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

Criticism.

It mentions the critisisms regarding showing of military installations etc. Does anyone know if there are problems between google and the USA due to the detailed pictures of Area 51 and the pentagon etc. available?

Not sure, but I do remember how many other countries around the world were well pissed off though, because sensitive locations (e.g. military bases) were being blanked out by Google for the USA but not other nations. I believe they have started blanking out sensitive locations all around the world now. --Spet1363 19:43, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

Not quite right, one can see all sensitive locations (Airforce bases, Nuclear power plant, big dams etc) of India on GoogleEarth/Wikimapia. Vjdchauhan 11:12, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Arent there any other criticims which involve the fact that google earth is a very powerful tool, that freely gives any human being the right to view any area of the earth. Almost scary when you actually think about it. My opinion at least, we should never have such information at hand like that.

No, quite right, humans should be locked in the dark, with access to as little information as possible. Of course we should have access to this! It's collectivly our Earth, why shouldn't we be able to see the bits of it we want in the detail we want? --TheIslander 20:36, 20 August 2006 (UTC)

Removed following line: "The imajury of the caribbean is old, and out dated from around 2003. The imagery should be updated in even the smallest parts of the world and not just the larger cities." Sounds more like a personal opinion than a criticism --Cirilobeto 05:39, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Have removed the reference to Birmingham in the section on US bias. Searching for Birmingham now gives Birmingham, UK, in contrast to what the article said. St. Petersburg, however, still gives the American city, not the Russian one. Have also corrected the spelling of the subtitle here on the talk page, being pedantic. Owl 12:36, 16 December 2006 (UTC)

Iguazu Falls Dispute

The parliament in Argentina is going to debate to ask google to correct argentina-brazil limits since a mayor touristic point, the Iguazu Falls, appear completley in Brazil, when in reality is in the border and even most people prefere visiting them from Argentina Side, non existent in google hearth. Argentina authorities presume that the mistake can lead to people planning the trip to Iguazu choose Brazil instead.[3]--

Question

First of all how up to date are the photos in Google Earth?? How come you can't zoom in clear enough to see the actual ground. These are powerful datelites that can see for light-years but, you can't zoom in to even see the bare groung clear enough. Last of all you know how the in the movies people use like an earth viewer but, it's not pictures but live video from space an exsample of this is from the movie Enemy of the State is there really such a thing as real-time video spy satellites?? Please answer if you can.

The photos are usually no less than 3 years old. The images couldn't be high-resolution without destroying Google Earth's bandwidth. There are such things as real-time spy satellites, but they are more often than not hampered by cloud cover. - Kookykman|(t)e

Google Maps

Is it anything like GoogleMaps? --66.218.20.28 05:32, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes and No. Read the Wikipedia articles Google Earth and Google Maps and tell us what you think! AuburnPilot 02:46, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

National Security and Privacy Issues

This paragraph makes little sense to me. Anyone else think so? Landroo 02:27, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

'The 2006 incidental finding of a large topographical replica in the remote Huangyangtan region of China, purportedly a small-scale recreation of the Karakoram mountain range currently under Indian control. When it was confirmed that the territory modelled corresponded to a politically disputed borderline between the neighboring nations, spectators began to entertain sinister military implications.'

Definitly was poorly written. There are several fragments and grammatical mistakes. I'll attempt to revise it. AuburnPilot 02:51, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Done. AuburnPilot 03:01, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Use in media

I think it would be interesting to add some section about the usage of Google Maps images in the media. For example I know about Google Earth images being used in Crank and in some British Airways advertisements in the UK. I would start the section, but these are the only two references I know, I think it would be better to start with some more complete information --NavarroJ 14:22, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

3D Signage Tool

I added a new link in the tool section.

It links to a Google SketchUp Plugin for creating 3D signage in Google SketchUp -> the 3D signage can then be exported as a KML model straight into Google Earth. I believe it belongs in this section for the Google Earth article, as it is just that a tool for getting 3D signage into Google Earth!!!! I use Google Earth alot, and develop tools for Google SketchUp and this tool was specifically developed to do something which couldn't be done before. Look around the internet you won't find much 3D signage in Google Earth. Thats because until now tools haven't really be readily available to do it. Please do you homework on the topic, maybe read this other wiikipedia article I have created on the topic Google SketchUp 3D Text - before making comments.

I don't understand why people on wikipedia actually remove things before discussing edits. Its counter productive to the way a wiki should work. Ashleyjoyce 00:03, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

aint none

why does the site blurr out and cannot foscus —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 208.180.100.92 (talk • contribs) 21:24, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

msn messenger plugin

hello my friends just wondering about msn messenger contacts showing where they are with google earth is it a future program just send me a message .User:Jonjoe

google earth with msn messenger

How frequently Google Earth updates its satellite imagery

Do we have this data about how frequently does Google Earth updates its satellite imagery to cover newer areas (e.g. over past 6 months or so I have seen only one (prominent) update of Indian cities and now most of smaller Indian cities (apart from earlier bigger cities) are too having high resolution imagery still large tracts of (including some smaller cities/towns and most of rural area) is not covered with High resolution imagery. Regards, Vjdchauhan 10:45, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

I think from time to time, not faster than once per 1-2 years. Alexandre Koriakine 10:50, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Cyprus Naming Dispute?

"Cyprus is shown only as only belonging to Greece and does not show the Turkish half with its' own capital Lefkose."

I removed the information about the cyprus naming dispute in google earth, because: a) Cyprus is not shown as belonging to Greece in google earth. b) Republic of Cyprus is recognised as being sovereign over the entire island. c) Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a defacto state and is not recognised apart from Turkey.

In essence, the dispute is not a google earth dispute but a political dispute. It doesn't really transcend into google earth. Aggelophoros 08:31, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

Edinburgh

why that only is half of Edinburgh, Scotland is only shown on Google Earth, User:Jonjoe

Wikipedia Lat/Long co-ordinates implementation into Google Earth

Hey this is a question which involves Wikipedia and Google Earth. I've just started to update Melbourne railway station articles with lat/long co-ordinates but the articles which I have recently added some to don't show up in Google Earth. Does anyone know how long it takes for articles with new co-ordinates to show up in Google Earth? Thanks. --Lakeyboy 02:07, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

I added a new section to the main article describing this new capability. The section still needs a lot of work. I have the same questions as Lakeboy about how often the data is scraped and confirmation of which coordinate templates to use. Theflyer 13:49, 14 December 2006 (UTC)

I'll email the development team, I have the email. -- Zanimum 14:34, 14 December 2006 (UTC)

Actually, emailed Greg Maxwell, a fellow Wikipedian. He says that Google downloads our database dump. When they do, it figures out which articles are newly updated with coordinates or new pics. From there, the articles are approved, and Google makes sure all of the images are legally okay (and that they're not inappropriate). From there, their posted. Since the dumps only happen, I dunno, every two weeks, and it takes a while I presume to approve pictures, it's not an instant process. For now at least. It sounds like they are actively developing it, that's it's not just a "one-timer" release. -- Zanimum 22:13, 14 December 2006 (UTC)

@Lakeboy, maybe this new KML will help you. -- sk 00:18, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

So we actually have a downloadable file devoted to article coordinates? -- Zanimum 16:34, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

Check in google earth in the bottom leftt in the layers section for "Geographic Content" - open this folder and tick the Wikipedia box. If you can't see it get the latest version of Google Earth from the official website.-- Flutefluteflute ^{Talk Contributions} 16:48, 15 December 2006 (UTC) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth#Wikipedia_and_Panoramio_mashup -- Flutefluteflute ^{Talk Contributions} 16:50, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

Superimposition vs. Superimposing.

If you look at superimposition it's about pictures whereas superimposing is video. So I changed it. CRouleau 14 December 2006

User Boxes

Here are some user boxes for google earth.

User:Tbone55/wiki/UBS/Mine

--'•Tbone55•^{(Talk) (Contribs)(UBX)} 17:43, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Usage by CNN and media

Is it worth mentioning that CNN uses Google Earth in various news reports on their cable network? Gordeonbleu 22:58, 15 January 2007 (UTC)