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Google Earth add-in removed


adrian.rutter

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I guess your perception is your reality, however since they really don't need an "excuse" to turn a feature on or off, I am sure they did not intend to specifically offend you and since you utilize their system, I think if asked they would describe you as pretty "in the know". :unsure:

 

Yeah, whatever, I'm sold.

 

Just to make sure nobody was offended at my reaction - it wasn't my intention. I'm still not convinced, but that's my own problem. I just want to be at peace with everyone.

 

Peace! :yikes:

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Ok, I'll put in my two cents. I find it hard to believe only 200 people used it. I used it often. I also use the google maps often. They are very different and I use them differently. Not having the google earth option any more is a shame. Can I plan without it? Yes. But not nearly as quickly and efficiently.

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Working on a local cache series we are planning and started GE. I was doing the happy dance!

 

Maybe it is short lived.

 

It sounds to me that some users feel that since some don't use it then it doesnt matter much.

 

Some of us probably don't uses caches along a route but does that mean that they should get rid of that feature. This is just an example.

 

It is not entirely accurate. I get it.

 

It is faster than those geo maps and easier to navigate.

 

I hope that since only 200 people use it we wont bog the system down too much and they can appease us.

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GE and the KML is fast and easy to use. I use it every time I'm planning a caching excursion. You can pan a hundred of miles with a simple mouse drag then zoom in on an interesting patch of forest to see what caches might be there. When I decide on an area to visit I run a PQ centered on one of the caches and off I go.

 

Without the KML I'll have to figure out a zip code for that 50,000 acre forest, run a PQ, wait for the email, drop it in GE and if I don't like what I see I'll have to start over again.

 

The lack of accuracy is not important. I use my GPSr to navigate through the forest, not Google Earth. Please don't do away with the KML, there must be another way to conserve resources.

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Without the KML I'll have to figure out a zip code for that 50,000 acre forest, run a PQ, wait for the email, drop it in GE and if I don't like what I see I'll have to start over again.

Very melodramatic, but nowhere near accurate.

 

Start at any cache...let's say near your starting point.

Click the Map in the center of the listing.

Switch it to Satellite view.

Zoom out so that your 'target area' is visible.

Drag the map and center it on the 'target area'

Zoom back in...you can even switch back to street or Terrain view.

Caches will show up and you can drag it around all you want and create PQs based on the map.

 

I never used the KML and don't know how it worked, but is what you describe all that different than what I did? Doesn't it do the same thing?

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I don't think that can be done with the geocaching maps.
What exactly are you doing in planning and comparing on GE that can't be done on the Goolge Maps?

I was just thinking the same thing.... The google geo maps work quite well for most things you could do on GE. The only thing I will miss is some of the far zoomed out clustering views. But I did that very rarely anyway.

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Hi,

 

Another of the "just 200" :anicute:

I use PQ's with GSAK but when planning a trip I use GE with KML . It's a lot more convenient for looking up caches before going on holiday especialy in combination with the "view in GE" function in Mapsource where I keep my tourist POI's. All the info is then available on one screen.

It would be a shame to lose KML functionality especially since Google maps is often very slow.

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Without the KML I'll have to figure out a zip code for that 50,000 acre forest, run a PQ, wait for the email, drop it in GE and if I don't like what I see I'll have to start over again.

Very melodramatic, but nowhere near accurate.

 

Start at any cache...let's say near your starting point.

Click the Map in the center of the listing.

Switch it to Satellite view.

Zoom out so that your 'target area' is visible.

Drag the map and center it on the 'target area'

Zoom back in...you can even switch back to street or Terrain view.

Caches will show up and you can drag it around all you want and create PQs based on the map.

 

I never used the KML and don't know how it worked, but is what you describe all that different than what I did? Doesn't it do the same thing?

 

One thing it does not do - full screen mode for printing out maps! GME plugin with GSAK is nice for that, but so is GE.

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I'm amazed that I'm one of the 200 :anicute:

 

Google Earth is faster and easier to use than the Groundspeak web site. It is also easier to find the intended location on GE as well - Groundspeak seems to default to the USA version of any city searched for, which is no good when you live in Europe :anicute:

 

Downloading PQs is no good since you are restricted to 5 per day, and when I am planning a trip, I could be looking at several locations!

Edited by ivanidea
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Try not to get too hung up on the number "200". The important point is that GE was negatively impacting user experience out of proportion to its usefulness. We don't make a decision like this in a vacuum, and I assure you we are not cackling like a bully who just stole your lolli. It's not in our interest as a business to upset you needlessly.

 

There have been many instances in the past where a change made to the site was negatively received and Groundspeak reversed it. I'm afraid this is not one of them. No amount of petitioning will bring back the network KML, but if you do have requests for mapping enhancements I'm all ears.

 

I feel that once folks get past the mourning period and start exploring other options you'll all be much happier. I am very sorry for those of you whose routine has been disrupted by this change. I know what that's like. I would just encourage you to adapt to a new way of Geocaching so you can get past this and back to enjoying the game. We'll get back to making the site better.

 

PS - The KML link will expire at different times for different people (2-3 weeks). This is why for some of you it is still active.

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but if you do have requests for mapping enhancements I'm all ears.

 

Server update would be nice GC is becomings soooooo slooooowwww at times. (So is the forum by the way). I'm on a 20Mb/1Mb DSL and most sites are lightning fast. I know this costs $$ and takes time but it seem GC servers are stressed a lot :anicute:

 

KML + GE is lightning fast too even with the other KML's I'm running.

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The part this one of 200 used was the measuring feature to see how far caches were from each other. I used this for caches along a route, or to see how far a hike would be. There were other uses too, like typing in the name of a town or mountain instead of browsing the map for it.

 

If you can add some kind of ruler system to the current google maps ala this site http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ that would be great.

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I am one of the 200 people apparently, not only that I was using it on 2 computers so I guess I count 2 people and found this thread after trying to reinstall the KML after installing windows 7 RC.

 

I showed one of my friends the other day how far Geocaching had come in the last few years, one example I showed him was the Google Earth integration. Now this is gone.

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What exactly are you doing in planning and comparing on GE that can't be done on the Goolge Maps?

 

My favorite use for GE is adding an image overlay (in this case a trail map) and then dropping the GPX file into GE, and thus having the trail map show the caches. I don't think you can do that in GMaps.

 

So far, I haven't seen a way to rotate the overlay, nor add it and the GPX file easily in GMaps. However, this isn't affected by the issues with the GE plugin - I can easily accomplish this with GE and a GPX file from gc.com or gsak.

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What exactly are you doing in planning and comparing on GE that can't be done on the Goolge Maps?

 

My favorite use for GE is adding an image overlay (in this case a trail map) and then dropping the GPX file into GE, and thus having the trail map show the caches. I don't think you can do that in GMaps.

 

So far, I haven't seen a way to rotate the overlay, nor add it and the GPX file easily in GMaps. However, this isn't affected by the issues with the GE plugin - I can easily accomplish this with GE and a GPX file from gc.com or gsak.

You can still drop you GPX files onto GE with the overlay. You just can't use the live KML functionality to automatically gather cache information from Geocaching.com directly. So it looks like your problem isn't a problem! Cache on!
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What exactly are you doing in planning and comparing on GE that can't be done on the Goolge Maps?

 

My favorite use for GE is adding an image overlay (in this case a trail map) and then dropping the GPX file into GE, and thus having the trail map show the caches. I don't think you can do that in GMaps.

 

So far, I haven't seen a way to rotate the overlay, nor add it and the GPX file easily in GMaps. However, this isn't affected by the issues with the GE plugin - I can easily accomplish this with GE and a GPX file from gc.com or gsak.

You can still drop you GPX files onto GE with the overlay. You just can't use the live KML functionality to automatically gather cache information from Geocaching.com directly. So it looks like your problem isn't a problem! Cache on!

However this is similar the way I would use the network KML capability. I didn't use it regularly so I guess I'm not one of the 200 (but since I don't know what Groundspeak's definition of use regularly is who knows). I'd be in Google Earth looking at some other overlay, perhaps a trail map or maybe a track I had saved off my GPS. I'd wonder, "Are there any cache along the trail?". Instead of trying to figure out where I was located in Google Earth, logging into Geocaching.com, creating a new PQ centered on my Google Earth location, submitting the PQ, waiting for the results, unzipping the GPX file, and dragging it onto Google Earth; I could just turn on the Geocaching KML file and click refresh and I'd see the caches along the trail. They weren't accurate, but that didn't matter as they were good enough to remind me if this was a cache I found on that previous hike or if there were caches on the new trail I was looking at. It would even given me a good idea if there was room to hide another cache or not. Certainly by time I was ready to go geocaching, I'd have created a PQ and gotten the accurate cache locations, but the KML file was a quick convenient first shot. It may be that the 200 regular users are the ones that ruined it for the several hundred (at least) occasional users who took advantage of this as a quick way to view caches relative to something else you were looking at in Google Earth. Perhaps these people didn't know how to turn off the KML layer in Google Earth or how to change the parameters to refresh only on manual refresh instead of every time you move. I could imagine it wouldn't take to many of these people to put a significant load on the database.

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That 200 number it's more than a complete joke, it's an insult to the inteligence of people. It's only common sense: from the universe of registered Geocachers, just can't be. Excluding that, only I alone I'm aware of about 20 fellows in this tiny country called Portugal who were using that feature in a daily base.

 

Another question comes to my mind... if it's such a small group of users, accordingly to Groundspeak theory, than why was the feature kept operation in the last 2,3,4 years? Only now it became disturbing to the system? What am I missing?

 

Oh...

 

"PHP Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 45 seconds exceeded in E:\Inetpub\forums\GC\ips_kernel\class_db_mysql.php on line 457 PHP Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 45 seconds exceeded in E:\Inetpub\forums\GC\sources\ipsclass.php on line 1111 "

 

Perhaps eliminating PQ next, to fix these problems? (yes, I know forums are in other servers... so, what's the problem with the servers, if Groundspeak crew is so brilliant as some say? Lack of funds to keep hardware updated...? Sure.).

Edited by Torgut
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So can Groundspeak get rid of " caches anlong route" because i know less than "200" people us that feature.

 

i know i never used it.

 

The kml feature was an easy way for the non techicnal savy people like me to locate caches...and take notes on the ones i liked.

 

So what happened to the new odd hobby/sport Geocaching that I was introduced to during an SFXC.org(xterra club) Spring Rally?...

 

The sport that made me want to buy my first Sportrak Map GPS off of ebay for $30?.......

the sport that makes me take the long senic route and stop every couple of miles to look for a Micro for 30 minutes?

the sport that people dont understand unless they try it and get hooked?

 

I guess it is a business to you guys now and not fun activity. If that is how you feel, it is a shame because there are great new caches being placed and found everyday.

I guess Groundspeak is selling out like the rest of the world...

 

I dont like to associate with people like that. i mite just not renew membership next time round.

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I would suspect that Groundspeak knows how many people access the KML file. I don't think they are guessing.

 

I checked for public routes from the caches along a route tab.

 

Seattle -- 497 results

San Francisco -- 444 results

Denver -- 290 results

Atlanta -- 335 results

Washington DC -- 448 results

 

These are only the public results since you cannot search private routes (the default setting). That's just five cities. Of my 30 created routes, only 10 are public.

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I would suspect that Groundspeak knows how many people access the KML file. I don't think they are guessing.

 

Raine [edited to add: actually OpinioNate] (I think it was) tried to play down the 200 number in a recent post. It originally seemed like an attempt to say "nobody really uses it". I don't think he would try to defend that number any longer.

 

But it doesn't really matter if it is 2000 or 20,000. They seem to have decided.

 

(Full disclosure: I only rarely used the KML and can't remember the last time I did. I do use caches along a route and GSAK to visualize.)

Edited by beejay&esskay
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What I could do in Google-Earth and NOT in Google-Maps any more:

 

1) On a GE map I can add my additional data, e.g. own tracks, and diverse self-created waypoints e.g. camping sites, etc.

 

2) GE tells mit the GPS position and height of the cursor position and of waypoints. GM don't.

 

3) Handling of Google Earth allows much more comfortable and direct mouse control, and last not least a 3D-view with terrain height.

 

4) Google-Earth can be run offline with saved waypoints and cached map-data. Google maps not at all.

 

I strongly miss these functionalities. :unsure:

Edited by Rhintl
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Try not to get too hung up on the number "200". The important point is that GE was negatively impacting user experience out of proportion to its usefulness. We don't make a decision like this in a vacuum, and I assure you we are not cackling like a bully who just stole your lolli. It's not in our interest as a business to upset you needlessly.

 

It's clear that the number 200 has been chosen to downplay the importance of this removal. I'm one of them if our definitions of regular are the same (or close). However the removal does negatively impact my user experience! It's clear that every feature that you remove will improve site performance as those requests are simply not possible to do anymore. I fail to see how the kml impacts the site more than then map feature, if they do the same thing (but GE much faster and more userfriendly). Or is it because the javascript is slower to parse so users take more more time to change the map view compared to GE? How is this even possible as the GM feature fetches more data (finds and disabled)?

 

There have been many instances in the past where a change made to the site was negatively received and Groundspeak reversed it. I'm afraid this is not one of them. No amount of petitioning will bring back the network KML, but if you do have requests for mapping enhancements I'm all ears.

 

Yes, I have: Make it as fast as GE, fullscreen as GE, give it the possibility to easily manage the items ... But you will never make a browser app nice userfriendly a an well written standalone app.

 

I feel that once folks get past the mourning period and start exploring other options you'll all be much happier. I am very sorry for those of you whose routine has been disrupted by this change. I know what that's like. I would just encourage you to adapt to a new way of Geocaching so you can get past this and back to enjoying the game. We'll get back to making the site better.

 

PS - The KML link will expire at different times for different people (2-3 weeks). This is why for some of you it is still active.

 

As I'm using other options aswell, I can't see how I might be much happier when I get remembered so often that a previously working functionality is now missing and that I have to use a workaround to accomplish what once was easy to do.

Importing a GPX into GE means working with potential outdated data at first, after some time with guaranteed outdated data. And GM does not offer all features of GE, but GE most of GM (only finds and disableds come into mind now). Getting GPX files is limited to PQs, which are limited aswell and sometimes take like forever to arrive.

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What I could do in Google-Earth and NOT in Google-Maps any more:

 

1) On a GE map I can add my additional data, e.g. own tracks, and diverse self-created waypoints e.g. camping sites, etc.

 

2) GE tells mit the GPS position and height of the cursor position and of waypoints. GM don't.

 

3) Handling of Google Earth allows much more comfortable and direct mouse control, and last not least a 3D-view with terrain height.

 

4) Google-Earth can be run offline with saved waypoints and cached map-data. Google maps not at all.

 

I strongly miss these functionalities. :unsure:

Each of these can be done with GE and GPX files - especially the last one.

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What I could do in Google-Earth and NOT in Google-Maps any more:

 

1) On a GE map I can add my additional data, e.g. own tracks, and diverse self-created waypoints e.g. camping sites, etc.

 

2) GE tells mit the GPS position and height of the cursor position and of waypoints. GM don't.

 

3) Handling of Google Earth allows much more comfortable and direct mouse control, and last not least a 3D-view with terrain height.

 

4) Google-Earth can be run offline with saved waypoints and cached map-data. Google maps not at all.

 

I strongly miss these functionalities. :unsure:

Each of these can be done with GE and GPX files - especially the last one.

It doesn't matter to them. They don't want to adapt, they just want it the way it was so they don't have to think...and no matter what we say, they don't want to listen.

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....

Each of these can be done with GE and GPX files - especially the last one.

It doesn't matter to them. They don't want to adapt, they just want it the way it was so they don't have to think...and no matter what we say, they don't want to listen.

 

:unsure:

Maybe I have a understanding problem:

 

You mean I could include my personal gpx files into the Groundspeak Googlemap as I get it from here

http://www.geocaching.com/map/

 

You say I can read out GPS coordinates, height, and have 3d-views there?

 

Did I overlook something there??

Edited by Rhintl
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....

Each of these can be done with GE and GPX files - especially the last one.

It doesn't matter to them. They don't want to adapt, they just want it the way it was so they don't have to think...and no matter what we say, they don't want to listen.

 

:unsure:

Maybe I have a understanding problem:

 

You mean I could include my personal gpx files into the Groundspeak Googlemap as I get it from here

http://www.geocaching.com/map/

 

You say I can read out GPS coordinates, height, and have 3d-views there?

 

Did I overlook something there??

 

They mean that you are able to import a gpx file into GE and work with from there.

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I've been around geocaching long enough to remember a time when all of the cache pages used to display without security protocols. You could see coordinates and cache pages when you weren't logged in, and even if the cache wasn't published yet. For example, the Project APE cache I helped place was ID=5526, which meant that it was the 5,526th cache entered into the system. The publicly visible website was ...geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?id=5526 (actually it didn't have the "x", but you get the idea). An enterprising cacher with time on his hands could see any cache that was entered into the system (even before a reviewer looked at it) by sequentially going through and changing the numbers (id=5527, id=5528, id=5529, etc.). This allowed people to see caches BEFORE publication, and even go out and snag the caches before they were seen in the main website. In the Chicago region covered by GONIL there are currently over 5,300 caches. When the APE cache was published there were 33 active caches. We were all desparate for new caches so we searched through these numbers waiting for any cache to be entered in our area, so we browsed the numbers.

 

When the security protocols for reviewers were implemented and people could no longer browse by ID number, the community was up in arms (much as they are with the removal of the KML). Groundspeak had good reason for this removal of a "feature that was a convenient way to scan the system", and I trust that they have their reasons now.

 

Of course, the idea of periodically searching incremental numbers seems almost laughable now. We had 45 caches placed in the area since the beginning of the database and 33 were active. Now, that same region is getting an average of over 6 caches placed per day, so we would have the same number of placed caches in less than a week than we had in a full 16 months.

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It doesn't matter to them. They don't want to adapt, they just want it the way it was so they don't have to think...and no matter what we say, they don't want to listen.

 

No, it's not like that.

 

The trouble is that, with the GE KML, we had instantly the latest caches, even if I went to the PC in a cybercafe.

 

With your method, I would need to carry the latest GPX with me to anywhere I go in order to have the same funtionality.

 

Now, if you don't like/don't need/won't mess this (or another) funtionality, fine, good for you, I respect that.

 

But what you're doing is saying that everyone who cared for that are stubborn - or worse. If it's fine by you, that's nice. But you can't say anything helpful, then don't! :unsure:

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Here's a suggestion for Groundspeak for a replacement.

 

How about the ability to preview a PQ in Google Earth, much like the capability to view a travel bug track in Google Earth. A user can create a PQ and then click preview in GE. The system would generate the KML file for the PQ which shouldn't cost any more than generating the preview in Google Maps that is currently available. Most people will have KML files associated with GE so their browser would download the find an display it in GE. Since it's a preview it wouldn't count against the PQ limits. You'd loose the ability to pan and zoom in GE to see new areas, though I expect it won't take long for someone to create a application to take the parameters from GE and create a PQ on the fly from your view. But you gain the ability to apply all the filters available in PQs to the caches you get in the KML file. In the meantime you'd avoid the load on the system from people who never adjusted their refresh parameters and were requesting KML downloads whenever they panned or zoomed their view in GE. Of course some will realize that you can preview 500 cache, adjust your PQ a little to get 500 more and do this many times to get the coordinates for a large number of caches downloaded to your computer. So Groundpeak may want to continue to fudge the coordinates in the KML files that are sent this way. (To get accurate coordinates you'd have get the GPX file and this would count against your PQ limit.)

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The "200" figure is ridiculous.. I know 200 people in the Detroit area that use the Geocaching Network KML alone.

Also, the KML was an advertised benefit of premium membership. Can we get a prorated refund?

The KML tool is superior because Google Earth is superior - it the the best Geo tool around and the KML was great for fast trip/vacation planning. Most people who posted here saying "they won't miss it" either never used it or didn't know how to use it.

Edited by Red Rose
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Most people who posted here saying "they won't miss it" either never used it or didn't know how to use it.
I love generalities like this.:rolleyes:

 

What? Generalities like

 

It doesn't matter to them. They don't want to adapt, they just want it the way it was so they don't have to think...and no matter what we say, they don't want to listen.

 

No!!!! :blink: How could it be??!?

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Most people who posted here saying "they won't miss it" either never used it or didn't know how to use it.
I love generalities like this.:rolleyes:

 

What? Generalities like

 

It doesn't matter to them. They don't want to adapt, they just want it the way it was so they don't have to think...and no matter what we say, they don't want to listen.

 

No!!!! :blink: How could it be??!?

In my case at least, this particular generality is actually correct...and I think I admitted that previously. I never used the KML filter that some seem to have loved. I didn't need to, I've always done other things that worked just as well for me and didn't rely on the resource pig Google Earth to work.

 

All I'm saying is that there are other ways to do things. They may not be the way you used to do it, they may not be as what you consider 'easy', they may not be "insert your reason here"...but they DO exist.

 

Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

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So, to sum up:

 

1. GE KML is gone out of necessity and won't come back.

2. There is no reason to mistrust the moderators (despite that '200' thing).

3. Those who never used GE/KML know it's unnecessary - to themselves. They're irked with the GE/KML users for whining about their loss.

4. Those who used it realize there may be alternatives, but they aren't as good as GE. Seven or eight thousand of the original two hundred dropped by to express their disappointment. They're irked with the non-users for whining about the whining.

5. I use the word "whining" only for efficiency/expediency and not to offend.

6. GE/KML is a superior tool to anything that replaces it for reasons stated above (vastly superior navigation when compared with GM; much better response time than GM; bigger pictures and better printing than GM; faster results when browsing an area - i.e., no intermediate generate PQ step; etc.).

 

Sigh.

 

I went looking for the alternatives. I may be missing something, but so far they really don't measure up. The suggestion that we'll be happy GE/KML is gone can be based only on the secret knowledge of pending or planned improvements or....any of several somethings not so good.

 

I'm torn between appreciating the quality and volume of work done by Lackeys and expecting better customer service from a commercial enterprise. Such is the nature of the unusual Groundspeak organization.

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Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

 

Fine... give us a few more PQs a day and all will be fine. Or the idea of previewing one in GE as mentioned above.

 

or the built in gc google map having a full page view feature.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this either. There's absolutely no reason that 5 PQs can't cover an area for the travel a normal person can do in one day...If you have 'regularly scheduled PQs' and you're traveling, turn off the 'regular' PQs and do the travel PQs.

 

Don't just gripe about the system...work WITH it.

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Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

 

Fine... give us a few more PQs a day and all will be fine. Or the idea of previewing one in GE as mentioned above.

 

or the built in gc google map having a full page view feature.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this either. There's absolutely no reason that 5 PQs can't cover an area for the travel a normal person can do in one day...If you have 'regularly scheduled PQs' and you're traveling, turn off the 'regular' PQs and do the travel PQs.

 

Don't just gripe about the system...work WITH it.

 

Yeah Frank! Shut up, eat your peas and like it!

 

Work with the system. Now that's a blinding flash of the obvious! We don't have much choice. That doesn't mean we have to like it. Excuse me if I wish to make that displeasure known to the folks at Groundspeak.

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wow !

 

Google earth link is gone ? I am definitely one of those 200, I used this every single time when looking for caches outside of my home area (I use PQ for those).

 

There is really no replacement for this and I am really pissed off because I am going on 2500 mile road trip in just one month and I wonder how will I plan for it now. I know there is the google map, but it's very slow, cumbersome to navigate and it just takes 5x as much time as it did in Google earth...

 

Very dissapointed in this decision :rolleyes:

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I am another of the 200 who will miss KML in GE. Used it a lot. Really like to overlays and waypoints etc.

 

Introduced a friend and his son to geocaching today and was showing them how cool the GE feature was. Thought I was going crazy when trying to find the link to download it.

 

So I'm just weighing in here to at weight to the fact that a lot of us loved the features and functionality of GE and hope this will influence further development of GM or another alternative.

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