Google Maps
Google Maps
Overview
Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) is a web application with a range of basic, interactive mapping functions that allow an individual to explore locations, get directions, plan trips, and discover basic geographic relations between people and places. Users may customize and share annotated maps. Customized and interactive maps can be easily embedded into webpages.
Strengths
Google Maps has a very low learning curve and can be accessed quickly from any web browser for addressing simple mapping needs. A user can rapidly create and share an annotated map with others, who may in turn modify the map. Maps can be viewed with simple road layers or satellite imagery and contain detailed information on place names and landscape features. Numerous ArcGIS tools are available to create input files (i.e., KML) for Google Maps.
Weaknesses
Google maps does not have a large selection of available symbols (although it is possible to upload custom symbols). Exporting spatial data from a map into a simple spreadsheet or for use in ArcGIS can be difficult.
Example
eBird, a partnership between the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, allows users to explore eBird data in Google Maps (e.g., http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?speciesCodes=paibun&reportType=species&bMonth=01&bYear=2006&eMonth=12&eYear=2010&parentState=US-FL&countries=US&states=US-FL&getLocations=states&continue.x=49&continue.y=16&continue=t)
Tutorials
A general tutorial is available here: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=15920. Information on two steps for using data from Google Maps in ArcGIS are here: http://sites.google.com/site/gmapstips/export-my-map-as-kml (Step 1) and here: http://www.uga.edu/gpshort/instructions/GIS_Convertin%20Google%20Earth%20klm%20to%20ArcMap%20shp.pdf (Step 2).
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