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[FEATURE] Let premium members have access to google maps


DanPan

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Outside of the complains about satellite images loading slowly, and other map tile related issues, what other 'warts' does the Leaflet map have that need to be addressed?

Maybe this is related to map tile issues, but when hovering over a cache icon there's often a long delay before the cache name "tool tip" text appears. On some occasions, the delay is over 60 seconds (at which point I give up). Interestingly, shorter delays was supposed to be one of the benefits of moving to the new maps.

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There is no plan to increase the cost of a Premium Membership so we can provide the Google Maps feature. Of course we retain the right to increase the cost of a Premium Membership at some time in the future (though we haven't in 10 years), but there are no immediate plans to. We'll just absorb the cost and hope others will upgrade to help us support the feature and the web site.

 

When we implement Google Maps you will have to decide either to a ) look at Google Maps (map, hybrid, aerial) or b ) look at OSM/Leaflet (with various display options). As part of the agreement with Google they will be entirely separate implementations at the same Url. In other words, Google Map tiles will not be displayed in Leaflet.

 

You decide what version you want to use and it will be your default setting when you look at the page (though you can always switch between options). This is why it is taking a while to implement than just pulling a switch. There will also be some added upkeep with supporting both Google Maps and Leaflet, but we recognize the benefit of continuing to have Google Maps.

 

To clarify on a previous statement, the cache details page will continue to have links to additional map options, but the maps displayed on the page will only have OSM tiles and Leaflet.

Edited by Jeremy
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Can we opt out of having Google maps?

 

We currently use a GreaseMonkey script to overlay Google maps (and several others). It would be daft for Groundspeak to pay for something we don't actually need...

 

Mark

If they bring Google maps back to PM, I will have no problem dumping my GM script. If they ask for more money for a PM I will be upset. If the ask for more money to allow PM's to get Google maps but what they have now for no increase of my PM my GM script will probably stay.

 

Edit: But then this begs the question is what we get back; the previous beta maps with all the warts and problems, the current leaflet framework with all its warts and problems or a whole new kettle of fish with new warts and new problems. Some times it is good to be wary of what you wish for.

 

jholly - Outside of the complains about satellite images loading slowly, and other map tile related issues, what other 'warts' does the Leaflet map have that need to be addressed?

 

-Raine

 

These are more features than warts...

 

As someone previously mentioned, I'd like the ability to set a default base map (it would be OSM for me) and then persist that setting in my profile so that whenever I look at the the main maps my preferred map type is used. I know that a lot of people love the Google satellite view maps but I think the OSM maps might be a better choice for a default base map.

 

Drop the Mapquest aerial view maps from the list of available base map layers. IMHO, the base maps should be as consistent as possible worldwide. The loudest complaints about the "new maps" were from those that lived in places where the Mapquest aerial maps were essentially useless.

 

Display caches which have a DNF log (and no subsequent found it) with a blue frown face. When looking at caches on a map from a pocket query it can be helpful to see which caches one has already looked for and posted a DNF.

 

This one might not be possible without Leaflet API support....Provide a control which would allow us to click-hold-drag on the map to create a bounding box around a group of caches to *select* those caches. Let me "save" selected caches in a Bookmark list. I could then look at another area on the map and select another group of caches and save/append those to the same bookmark. Once I'm done I can create a PQ from the bookmark.

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Can we opt out of having Google maps?

 

We currently use a GreaseMonkey script to overlay Google maps (and several others). It would be daft for Groundspeak to pay for something we don't actually need...

 

Mark

If they bring Google maps back to PM, I will have no problem dumping my GM script. If they ask for more money for a PM I will be upset. If the ask for more money to allow PM's to get Google maps but what they have now for no increase of my PM my GM script will probably stay.

 

Edit: But then this begs the question is what we get back; the previous beta maps with all the warts and problems, the current leaflet framework with all its warts and problems or a whole new kettle of fish with new warts and new problems. Some times it is good to be wary of what you wish for.

 

jholly - Outside of the complains about satellite images loading slowly, and other map tile related issues, what other 'warts' does the Leaflet map have that need to be addressed?

 

-Raine

You hit the big ones. The satellite view is definitely worse than Google's. A minor blemish is the scale does not move to the left when closing the left pane like the zoom controls. The other, and I realize it is a cost issue, is the topos. Google has better topo maps. I was not critical of your move that you made with the maps, it was completely understandable and I supported your moves. I am glad something was done to resolve the issues. I wait to see what is coming. Actually I find the Google maps with the leaflet framework to be quite nice. Oh, and can we have an option of turning on all the other caches in the area when viewing a PQ map? I really started liking that and miss it now that it was taken away by popular request.

 

When I go to the maps page from a pocket query it shows me caches that were are in the PQ I selected. Clicking on the

"Search" tab brings up all the other caches in the area, which sounds like exactly what you're asking.

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Can we opt out of having Google maps?

 

We currently use a GreaseMonkey script to overlay Google maps (and several others). It would be daft for Groundspeak to pay for something we don't actually need...

 

Mark

Some of us have just chosen not to use lubricated mammals to accomplish things.

I didn't know hampsters were lubricated.

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It'd be ideal (IMHO) if you could choose one map system or the other to be the default, but simply click a link to temporarily show the other style.

 

If it worked that way, I'd choose OSM as my default (saving $$), and only switch to Google when I wanted a satellite view. Next time I asked for a map, it'd be OSM again.

 

In whatever form, I'm glad to hear the Google maps are coming back. Bravo.

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.............. The loudest complaints about the "new maps" were from those that lived in places where the Mapquest aerial maps were essentially useless........

 

This is very true in our area - a comparison .....

 

This is the OSM map of a bunch of caches near here ....

777b2714-a514-4b1c-8361-18123acbb59f.jpg

Not very helpful when trying to figure out how to access them.

 

This is the exact same area as shown by Google maps ......

f7ae0d8f-3fab-45bb-a1b0-80fd66a76400.jpg

Now you can at least see how to get there, even if the images are 5 or 6 yrs old.

 

And this is the very highest resolution from Mapquest Aerial available here.

496533bf-d121-4a77-8c28-fc5a086e67de.jpg

The upper right 1/4 covers the same area as the first 2 images !!!

Not very useful.

And there are many hundreds of caches in this area that are in the same situation.

 

Thank You Jeremy for finding a way to allow us access to Google Maps again.

 

Am I right in assuming that they will show all the caches on the map and not just the pin for one cache.?

.

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These new maps are terrible!

This is a SIGNIFICANT step backward!

This is the very reason I haven't used mapquest for years.

Mapquest is always very out of date and unusable for navigating.

If Google maps don't return I will be rethinking my PM renewal.

I'm not seeing the value anymore.

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I'm very glad that we will have the ability to switch between Google and OSM. One thing I really like about Open Street and Open Cycle are the trail markings. They are very good in my area so I would hate to lose them. But I still use Google for more detail when I need it.

 

Thanks for addressing this! :D

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Well instead if these Premium Plus memberships you all are talking about, if I'm paying $30 a year, we as Premium members should ALL have the ability to have access to get good maps.

 

Maps are an essential part of the game, and for others to pay even more, for better maps I think would be crazy.

 

Just bring Google Maps back for Premium.

 

-Waffle

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.............. The loudest complaints about the "new maps" were from those that lived in places where the Mapquest aerial maps were essentially useless........

 

This is very true in our area - a comparison .....

 

This is the OSM map of a bunch of caches near here ....

777b2714-a514-4b1c-8361-18123acbb59f.jpg

Not very helpful when trying to figure out how to access them.

 

I have to agree that OSM doesn't look as useful in your area as it does in mine (Belgium).

However, about 18 months ago I also thought OSM was useless and without a future, but when I checked again last January I was amazed by the way it had improved!

All it takes is a small group of volunteers (why not geocachers? :) ) who use the tracks on their GPS's to make this possible.

 

Thanks to Groundspeak for their work and making it able to have the choice!

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we as Premium members should ALL have the ability to have access to get good maps.

 

I feel that all of us, premium member or not, should have access to good maps. The original post of this thread, "non-premium members can have access to the poor-mans maps" is an offensive 'holier than thou' comment and premium membership deserves to be represented by a much better attitude than that. You can look down your nose at non-premium members all you want, they're still an integral part of this game and you have no problem hunting for caches hidden by the very people you put down.

 

When GS first announced they were removing (or had removed) Google & Bing Maps, several cachers came to the forum to speak their minds regardless of whether they were premium members or not. We all stood together to voice our concerns based on a common issue. Many even said since GS could afford to pay Google & Bing for use of the maps, they should do what's necessary to please cachers. So it's interesting to see so many premium members now saying they're the only ones who deserve it. I'll admit, it's a bit disheartening to see those very cachers (the premium members, that is) cast the non-premiums aside and basically say, Oh well, as long as it screws them and not me, it's OK.

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Many even said since GS could afford to pay Google & Bing for use of the maps, they should do what's necessary to please cachers.

There's no way GS could just eat the cost. It was going to be on the order of $2 million to stay with Google for all members, and it would be significantly higher for Bing. It was very obvious to many that keeping Google free for all users was going to cost way too much, so something had to change. GS has come to an agreement with Google to restore Google Maps for premium members only, likely because that would significantly reduce the usage of the maps to a level where they can handle the increased cost.

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Can we opt out of having Google maps?

 

We currently use a GreaseMonkey script to overlay Google maps (and several others). It would be daft for Groundspeak to pay for something we don't actually need...

 

Mark

If they bring Google maps back to PM, I will have no problem dumping my GM script. If they ask for more money for a PM I will be upset. If the ask for more money to allow PM's to get Google maps but what they have now for no increase of my PM my GM script will probably stay.

 

Edit: But then this begs the question is what we get back; the previous beta maps with all the warts and problems, the current leaflet framework with all its warts and problems or a whole new kettle of fish with new warts and new problems. Some times it is good to be wary of what you wish for.

 

jholly - Outside of the complains about satellite images loading slowly, and other map tile related issues, what other 'warts' does the Leaflet map have that need to be addressed?

 

-Raine

You hit the big ones. The satellite view is definitely worse than Google's. A minor blemish is the scale does not move to the left when closing the left pane like the zoom controls. The other, and I realize it is a cost issue, is the topos. Google has better topo maps. I was not critical of your move that you made with the maps, it was completely understandable and I supported your moves. I am glad something was done to resolve the issues. I wait to see what is coming. Actually I find the Google maps with the leaflet framework to be quite nice. Oh, and can we have an option of turning on all the other caches in the area when viewing a PQ map? I really started liking that and miss it now that it was taken away by popular request.

Another blemish is when you're looking at the map and you run over the caches with the cursor, in some areas of the map the caches are clickable and on other parts the cursor will just not click on a cache.

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Hello, When can we expect to see the google maps come back? Thanks

 

We were expecting to release on Tuesday this week but our primary developer on the project was out for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Our hope is to have it in the next site update.

Sounds like the time out was not planned. I hope the developer is recovering well and will be back and on top of his game soon. Health is more important than maps.

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Another blemish is when you're looking at the map and you run over the caches with the cursor, in some areas of the map the caches are clickable and on other parts the cursor will just not click on a cache.

And that's a BIG 'wart' for me. If I zoom in and out and pan around, most of the time I can eventually get the cursor to bring up some activity on a cache on the map, but I find that far too often (perhaps 20% of the time), laying the cursor on a cache and/or clicking on it produces no results at all.

 

I miss the old days of the original map display for MANY reasons -- not least of which was the ability to have each cache icon visible on the map 'tagged' with its name or GC code. Granted, that was a function of some fancy scripting, but it was a very useful feature, and the current mapping system really does hammer the ability to do a lot of the things that gc.com could have done, and did not, but at least were available with some clever 3rd party scripting.

 

Then of course we have the problem of zooming in too closely and having all of the cache icons disappear. That's just bogus.

 

Yes, there are still significant 'warts' on the current system.

Edited by ecanderson
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Hello, When can we expect to see the google maps come back? Thanks

 

We were expecting to release on Tuesday this week but our primary developer on the project was out for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Our hope is to have it in the next site update.

Sounds like the time out was not planned. I hope the developer is recovering well and will be back and on top of his game soon. Health is more important than maps.

 

Thanks for the concern but it wasn't a health issue - it was Jury duty.

 

It is done when it is done, but our releases are usually 3-4 weeks apart. The last update was last Tuesday.

Edited by Jeremy
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<_< i though there was an update yesterday ? so it could be another 4 weeks yet :mad: on top of the 5-6 weeks you said back in April ? To be honest, i havent used the maps since you lost google maps, so i feel i am not getting my moneies worth being a P/Member wont renew next time :blink:
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<_< i though there was an update yesterday ? so it could be another 4 weeks yet :mad: on top of the 5-6 weeks you said back in April ? To be honest, i havent used the maps since you lost google maps, so i feel i am not getting my moneies worth being a P/Member wont renew next time :blink:

 

Install the greasemonkey plugin already discussed and use that until the change is made. No big deal.

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<_< i though there was an update yesterday ? so it could be another 4 weeks yet :mad: on top of the 5-6 weeks you said back in April ? To be honest, i havent used the maps since you lost google maps, so i feel i am not getting my moneies worth being a P/Member wont renew next time :blink:

Until Jeremy mentioned that the Google maps will be a premium feature at some time in the future they never were a premium feature. So I fail to see how your not getting your monies worth. The list of premium perks has remained unchanged so I presume your still using the premium features your paying for.

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<_< i though there was an update yesterday ? so it could be another 4 weeks yet :mad: on top of the 5-6 weeks you said back in April ? To be honest, i havent used the maps since you lost google maps, so i feel i am not getting my moneies worth being a P/Member wont renew next time :blink:

My observations is that evening updates are hardware updates, not software updates. The last software update was May 8th.

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I'm a bit confused by the hubbub. I didn't realize that this was still an issue, what with the script for Google Chrome and Firefox users (http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/126244) out there. I've been using that and have all the map formats I could use. Granted, I don't know of a script for IE users, but I ditched that due to speed issues.

 

Wow didn't realise this was out there. Perfect, I now have Google maps back. Happy days :D:D:D

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