[superdude]

Years ago before I started at my current job some people had Google Earth (free) on their PCs. But then someone read an updated Terms of Use and determined that we actually needed to be using the paid version of Google Earth so many people had their copies removed from their PCs. Then around the time I started someone read an updated Terms of Use and it was determined that there was no problem using the regular version of Google Earth. So it became part of the standard build. Then about a year ago someone read another updated Terms of Use and determined that we were out of compliance and so we removed all copies of Google Earth from all computers. And then we purchased licenses for Google Earth Pro for only those users who really relied on it. For a yearly per-user fee. And now apparently we can install it for everyone once again. For free.

I wonder if Google realized that a lot of companies and government organizations were confused about licensing or ignorantly non-compliant or just gave up and tried some other program. I know in my department we already installed alternative software for most people. Although nothing is as nice or easy for exploring or creating KML files as Google Earth in my experience.

[TeMPOraL]

> (...) tried some other program. I know in my department we already installed alternative software for most people.

I've never heard of Google Earth alternatives. Any recommendations?

[bane]

For a while before there was a free GE, Nasa World Winds had a pretty active community around it.

It would need lots of work to become a real alternative though.

http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/features.html

[jimueller]

Depending on the use case, Falcon View is an alternative.

https://www.falconview.org/trac/FalconView

[superdude]

We're using ArcGIS Explorer (free)which has tons of issues itself but fills the need for a lot of people, or a full version of ArcGIS ($$$).

[gcb0]

nope. it is mostly because microsoft been offering those high quality aerial images for a long time on bing maps for free, but since nobody even know there is a bing map, it wasn't a threat. now somehow google feel they are gaining market and decided to counter attack.

[raverbashing]

Yeah, too bad Bing Maps search is a bad joke. Really

You have to specify if it's a Address or a Place (if your initial search doesn't work, which is pretty much always)

[tazjin]

Where I live (Stockholm) Google Maps has become completely useless at finding anything.

It used to be the case that you could search for the name of a store chain (e.g. Systembolaget - the state alcohol stores) and it would show some of their stores on a map around you, nowadays it picks some random one (never close to where you are) and displays that instead.

The same thing has started happening for lots of places that it used to find before, that are now seemingly just gone. In the meantime Apple Maps has been consistently improving and is now my go-to maps application on the phone.

[isaacdl]

Exactly the same thing happens to me here in the midwest United States. If I search, for example, for "fast food", especially on my phone, it tends to shift the entire map to some random city, state, or town (and sometimes country). It seems to have a particular affinity for the state of Alabama and also the western coast of Nigeria.

[morganvachon]

> If I search, for example, for "fast food", especially on my phone, it tends to shift the entire map to some random city, state, or town

I thought I was the only one. I've found Nokia's HERE Maps to be better overall than Google Maps when I just want to find a place to eat or shop or visit. For navigation, they are about equal in my experience, i.e. if you absolutely know your destination address, Google Maps is as good as, or better than, Nokia's maps at getting you there.

[matt4077]

The western coast of Nigeria is where the equator and the prime meridian meet.

[cbd1984]

> The western coast of Nigeria is where the equator and the prime meridian meet.

In case some of those terms are undefined: A spot just off the coast of Nigeria is where the 0 degree longitude (Prime Meridian) and the 0 degree latitude (Equator) lines meet. If Google Maps goes there, something zeroed out its latitude and longitude variables, something you'd think they'd test for every so often.

[blowski]

Similar anecdote here. I live in the south east of England, just outside London. If I search for 'pizza restaurant' it shows me somewhere in the Phillipines. Searching for 'pharmacy' shows somewhere in LA.

[raverbashing]

Unfortunately I have to agree with both of you, even though my experience in finding the places is not that bad on GMaps

But the "new GMaps quirks" are awful

[fennecfoxen]

The best I've seen out of New Maps was when they put Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street.

... in Queens. http://random.fennecfoxen.org/screenshots/gct.png

[GFischer]

Yes, it's so bad in so many places I actually started a side project / startup to provide that functionality :) .

We got to a proof-of-concept stage but it's currently on hold (the other two cofounders quit/don't have time for it either), but I think it's certainly a need that isn't being serviced by Google.

My project is called EncontraloCerca, it's supposed to be for Uruguay and Argentina first, but when we get to Stockholm I'll let you know :) .

[cotillion]

It seems even Google has found Lantmäteriets (state owned mapping company) fees to be too high. All building outlines they used to get from them are gone also.

Hemnet recently created an OSM layer just to get building outlines again.

[tim333]

Searching for Systembolaget in Stockholm still works for me:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/Systembolaget/@59.326755,...

[DeanCollinsNY]

Uhm google images allow you to see way closer.....

[chrisan]

Guess it depends on where you live/what you are looking at.

Having just gone through a recent home buying exercise in mid-west I always reverted to bing maps for a "birds eye view" as they had 4 directions of shots from their plane camera while google just had satellite then went into some kind of rendered/extruded view which was kinda eh.

Now if I compare that to our office in SF then google better than bing for zooming in.

[bbrks]

Maybe in NY, but for the majority of the UK Bing provides way better imagery.[1]

[1] http://i.imgur.com/2Oasyw0.jpg

[gcb0]

you mean image search?