Talk:Virtual globe
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[edit] Earthsim
I have today reinstated Earthsim to the article as I believe this system does meet the definition of a virtual globe exactly as defined by Willem. Earthsim is fully 3D and allows the user to freely move around the virtual environment (rotation, zoom and panning). Simon531
- In that sense the definition by Willem is actually lacking and my previous version was indeed better, even though it was more technical. Earthsim does not support adjustment of altitude, pitch, and yaw, or does it? Zoom as such is not an adjustment of altitude, zoom is an adjustment of the field of view to a more narrow or more wide field of view which gives the perception of lower or higher altitude. 64North 04:25, 17 September 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, in reply to my own reply, Google Earth doesn't support adjustments in yaw either. So I suppose we will have to limit it to adjustments in altitude and pitch. 64North 04:28, 17 September 2006 (UTC)
- Earthsim actually support changes in altitude, pitch and yaw. The camera may, within sensible bounds, be positioned at any arbitrary location in space and orientated to point to any other arbitrary location. Simon531
- Thanks for clearing that up Simon, I downloaded the actual app myself and had a look as well. Sorry for not having done so in the first place before I previously removed Earthsim. 64North 18:10, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Definition of a Virtual Globe
Willem was so kind as to update the definition of a virtual globe. Please use this entry to discuss the definition and its application to sites that should or should not be included in the Virtual Globe Wikipedia entry. I have today removed a flash based earth viewer as well as EarthSim from the article as I feel that those are not virtual globes as currently defined. I do beleive the current definition is accurate and reasonable. Perhaps FlashEarth and EarthSim and others like it deserve their own category/article, as there are certainly a number of those kind of applications around. However, if we can agree that in order to qualify as a virtual globe, the user needs to be able to freely move around the virtual environment, then anything other then that should not be included in the article. 64North 18:58, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] World Wind vs. Google Earth
The features section - World Wind can do many of those items, and more, with addons/plugins. I'm not sure what GE can do but I know it has the KML addon ability.
Therefore, should it be mentioned that World Wind can do such things with addons? I did this for the GPS section, and linked to the addon page, but I'm not sure if it should stay.
TheBeansprout 13:28, 22 July 2005 (UTC)
[edit] The History? Snow Crash what?
- The use of virtual globe software was widely popularized by (and may have been first described in) Neal Stephenson's famous science-fiction novel Snow Crash. In the metaverse in Snow Crash there is a piece of software called Earth (just like Google's), made by the Central Intelligence Corporation. The CIC uses their virtual globe as a user interface for keeping track of all their geospatial data, including maps, architectural plans, weather data, and data from real-time satellite surveillance.
Come on, did the movie Jurassic Park popularized the Connection Machines? Other than some geeks, how many people have ever read or heard of Snow Crash? Could such a small, small, small, itsy-bitsy thing affect the design of software?
The above claim is simply ridiculous. -- Toytoy 03:39, 9 April 2006 (UTC)
- There is an excellent section in The Dreams Our Stuff Is Made Of where Thomas Disch catalogs the massive impact of Snow Crash on science fiction and popular culture in general. --Coolcaesar 06:22, 9 April 2006 (UTC)
- Also I'll dig up some cites when I have the time but I'm so damned busy this week. --Coolcaesar 06:27, 9 April 2006 (UTC)
Itsy-bitsy things my affect the development of nice software gear... There is a company called blaxxun, http://www.blaxxun.com (remember "the black sun"). They got their idea from the book Snow Crash. They are specialized in the field of virtual environments and multi-user platforms. --Rudgen 09:48, 8 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Comparisons: Google Earth Updates
Google Earth updated its satellite images. Bora Bora is now available in very high resolution. This section and the comparison images should be updated.
--Peace01234 01:35, 26 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] this article needs help
I went ahead and removed all 2D references. I also added a what I perceive to be a more precise definition of a virtual globe. Just because someone is able to overlay an image over what looks like a rotating globe in some Java application doesn't make it a virtual globe. In the definition I added I suggest that in order to qualify as virtual globe the user must be able to freely move about the 3D environment.
Also, I would like to move away from a GE vs WW vs the rest, and simply state the capabilities and uses of virtual globes (without that it turns into advertising for specific solutions.
Time is of course precious, and I won't have any to work on any major edits till well into September. --64North 16:05, 22 August 2006 (UTC)
- There are still some GMaps articles with Category:Virtual Globe. --83.24.222.128 12:03, 24 August 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks for the info. Personally I won't be editing any other articles on WP, I barely have time for this one. ;) But I do want to expand on this one because there is a whole lot more that can be said and is useful info at the same time. Virtual globes are the future for a great many different uses. Thanks to Google Earth they have essentially become mainstream, and now users are less intimidated to check out some other VG products that are perhaps more feature-rich than GE. 64North 17:09, 24 August 2006 (UTC)
