FANTOM PLANET

Just some random thoughts here:

“How would you spatially represent the Internet in a GIS? And how would ESRI build a Data Model of it?”

I just finished reading Ambient Findability by Peter Morville. What an interesting book that you all should read. It introduces to those of us with lacking or expert organizational skills the concepts about finding information and how hard it really is to find things. It also covers wayfinding, information architecture, and information overload. Thank you All Points and Very Spatial for the recommendation.

The best quote in the book notes that I can paraphrase is, “information overload is more harmfull than smoking marajuana.” I sure believe that statement. I’m an information burnout right now.

No wonder why my college friends are rich savvy business persons; they did drugs, I did geography and GIS.

You can catch an interview with Peter Morville on A Very Spatial Podcast episode #26.

As we all know, Google Search is based on popularity. Well, out of boredom on my day off I plugged in “maps” into the search bar and came up with these top ten map sites based on Google rankings:

1. MapQuest.Com
2. Yahoo! Maps
3. Google Maps
4. Maps.com
5. Multimap.com
6. Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
7. Mapblast.com
8. Maps On Us
9. National Geographic Maps & Geography
10. TopoZone

So, I have just placed an order for the two Google Map hack books that are coming out later this year. The first, Google Map Hacks by O’Reilly, and the second, Hacking Google Maps & Google Earth by Wiley. Both look to be pretty cool and useful for folks in my office.

I have only one complaint for Amazon: “Why does it say in the shipping area of my order that I should receive this order by 15 May?” I could write a Google Map hack book by that time! Or, not.

I hope they ship the books separately. Google Map Hacks sounds as if it will be out later this month. As for the Hacking Google Maps book, hurry up. I would like to compare the two. Anyway, I’ll assume that they’re the same books, but with different font. Although, I do like the O’Reilly Hack Series format slightly more than the Extreme Tech books by Wiley.

I’ve been getting lazy when it comes to reading blogs on my own. Thanks to James and Planet Geospatial, I’ve been reading blogs via his website, which caused me to suspend the updates of my browser’s aggrigator a few months ago. So, to get motivated I’m refreshing my aggrigator and reading the other interesting blogs that I was reading about technology, business, travel, and college hockey.

It’s amazing what a new treadmill can do for you.

I’m getting my wind back!

I just wanted to remind you about reserving your hotel rooms for ESRI in August, and Where 2.0 2006 in June. I assume these are going to be big events this year and to all of you who are able to go, you better get hustlin’.

Well, it’s been said that exercise can’t be bad for you. . . Unless it kills you.

So, the calendar work year began with two inspiring podcasts from BBC and NPR about geospatial technology and where it’s going. The only reason I point them out is because I actually listened to them on my iPod while I ran on my spankin’ new treadmill before I head off to the office. Listening while I’m hoofin’ it is much better than sitting at my desk with 50 people walking in and out of my palacious cubicle while the podcasts play under the hum of my computer’s power supply and the office’s air conditioning. So, for all of you location and geospatial podcasters out there: Keep on crankin’ out the hits. I’m finally listening to you.

. . . More. . .

The two podcasts that were on BBC and NPR on the 3rd have given me inspiration that my office management can be turned to the ways of location if “important people” keep saying things like: “Culture is changing and this is the future, now.” It would also help if those same “important people” would start saying, “improve your neglected infrastructure for tomorrow; otherwise, it will break and your company will end up in the limbo.”

So, with that said, these are my goals this year:

• Listen to more podcasts and read more original content blogs (while working out)
• Attend some more conferences and make more business and academic contacts
• Propose a “futures” group in my office
• Propose to the company “The Setup” (Aligning our infrastructure for the future)
• And, build something that’s worthwhile with our partners that’s going to change the way my office looks at place and time

And with that, I’m off to kick some. . . soccer balls.

Stefan at OgleEarth reported that Google’s PR manager and chief counsel have noted that the U.S. government has never requested any name changes in their database.

Go figure? They’re right.

A friend at the BGN told me that the BGN “is ONLY for the U.S. Government, and has never sought influence from, or, to influence commercial organizations like Google.” My friend went on to say, “we would at least hope they would follow our lead though for standardization purposes.”

That’s legitimate.