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Google Maps and satellite imagery of KW
#61
Could someone update Google maps to show the Uptown area open? The Google directions are still taking you around the Uptown area. Apologies if it has been done already and is working its way through the process. Thank-you!
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#62
I believe that's automated data coming in from road closure apps. It seems to clear up in a couple days.
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#63
Could someone who edits Google maps add the bicycling counter flow lane on Nyberg St? It would be greatly appreciated. Currently if you are heading south in that area Google maps takes you over to Dundas Ave and then double back back along Sydney.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#64
City of Kitchener now has 2017 imagery available.
   
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#65
A very interesting tool I've been pointed to: https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/

This has relatively low-resolution satellite imagery, but the main idea is that it is all timecoded from 1984 to 2016; you can point the map at a neighbourhood or part of a city and watch it be developed and change. (use the pause button and pop the year indicator where you like, or let it play but change 'fast' to 'medium' or 'slow')

In our area, you can watch subdivisions like Country Hills/Laurentian West or Fairway/Zeller fill out; or watch the runway at the airport get extended twice; etc.
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#66
(02-11-2018, 02:49 PM)KevinL Wrote: A very interesting tool I've been pointed to: https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/

This has relatively low-resolution satellite imagery, but the main idea is that  it is all timecoded from 1984 to 2016; you can point the map at a neighbourhood or part of a city and watch it be developed and change. (use the pause button and pop the year indicator where you like, or let it play but change 'fast' to 'medium' or 'slow')

In our area, you can watch subdivisions like Country Hills/Laurentian West or Fairway/Zeller fill out; or watch the runway at the airport get extended twice; etc.

Very cool!
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#67
City of Kitchener now has 2018 imagery posted. I did a quick check, but I didn't see any LRVs captured (probably not many testing when the imagery was taken).
https://map.kitchener.ca/OnPointExt/WebP...iewer.aspx
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#68
Cool!

Any idea when it will be updated on regular ol’ Google Maps?
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#69
I do not know for sure but there is usually a substantial delay.

The cities/region paid for the imagery to be flown so in that sense it is proprietary in nature so they probably only share it after the next batch of imagery comes in (usually 1-2years) and this batch becomes dated.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#70
(09-30-2018, 03:58 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: I do not know for sure but there is usually a substantial delay.

The cities/region paid for the imagery to be flown so in that sense it is proprietary in nature so they probably only share it after the next batch of imagery comes in (usually 1-2years) and this batch becomes dated.

Unless they are selling it during that time I don’t think that makes a lot of sense. They aren’t businesses who understandably try to avoid giving their competition free assistance. Once the data have been obtained, it costs essentially nothing to make it available to all interested parties and that is what our governments should do with mapping data.
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#71
I just realized that in the Kitchener mapping application (https://map.kitchener.ca/OnPointExt/WebP...iewer.aspx) you can pan beyond Kitchener's borders in the 2018 imagery and see other parts of the region.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#72
(09-30-2018, 05:41 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(09-30-2018, 03:58 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: I do not know for sure but there is usually a substantial delay.

The cities/region paid for the imagery to be flown so in that sense it is proprietary in nature so they probably only share it after the next batch of imagery comes in (usually 1-2years) and this batch becomes dated.

Unless they are selling it during that time I don’t think that makes a lot of sense. They aren’t businesses who understandably try to avoid giving their competition free assistance. Once the data have been obtained, it costs essentially nothing to make it available to all interested parties and that is what our governments should do with mapping data.

I think charging a reasonable fee for commercial usage of the satellite imagery would be a reasonable thing to do. And I do think Google could afford to pay for it. 

I don't know what the practice is in other cities, though.
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#73
(10-06-2018, 05:41 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(09-30-2018, 05:41 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: Unless they are selling it during that time I don’t think that makes a lot of sense. They aren’t businesses who understandably try to avoid giving their competition free assistance. Once the data have been obtained, it costs essentially nothing to make it available to all interested parties and that is what our governments should do with mapping data.

I think charging a reasonable fee for commercial usage of the satellite imagery would be a reasonable thing to do. And I do think Google could afford to pay for it. 

I don't know what the practice is in other cities, though.

Google can afford to pay, but a random small startup (or just a hobbyist with an idea) can’t. Unless there is a serious possibility of not taking the imagery, it doesn’t make sense to charge for incremental use over and above the required governmental applications.
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#74
(10-06-2018, 06:54 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(10-06-2018, 05:41 PM)tomh009 Wrote: I think charging a reasonable fee for commercial usage of the satellite imagery would be a reasonable thing to do. And I do think Google could afford to pay for it. 

I don't know what the practice is in other cities, though.

Google can afford to pay, but a random small startup (or just a hobbyist with an idea) can’t. Unless there is a serious possibility of not taking the imagery, it doesn’t make sense to charge for incremental use over and above the required governmental applications.

The price does not need to be the same for everyone. Lots of software and content is licensed based on the level of usage (number of users, servers, views etc). And non-commercial usage could be free. Yes, we need those images, but why should we not ask Google to help defray those costs? It's not as if Google lets other people use their imagery for free, either.

From https://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives...agery.html
Quote:Another reason why you don’t find imagery that is newer is that it can cost a great deal of money to acquire quality aerial imagery. The companies who spend this money need a way to recover their costs. More recent imagery is more valuable than older imagery. As a result, these companies are reluctant to have their newest imagery available for free for anyone to view in Google Earth. Read the agreements for Google Earth before you try to use its imagery for business applications (more information). You can’t sell or use the imagery from Google Earth for business purposes without permission.
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#75
There's the Open Data movement which points out that making data publicly available fo under liberal licenses can have many beneficial and unanticipated side effects. Having to negotiate a license stifles innovation, even a $0 license. So if the government isn't trying to make money from the imagery, releasing it is probably best for society. That is assuming that they own the data, rather than licensing it.

US government works are public domain, but not Canadian works.
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