Patents Are Awesome:: Apple Files Patent for GIS

So over coffee I read this:

Apple’s “Interactive Map” patent filing details a mapping program that enables users to dynamically adjust and view different “layers” of content pulled from the Internet. Examples include commuting, tourism and weather map layers, among others.

Layers of content, brilliant! Why did we not think of this before? The patent filing is a road map for GIS. But I see huge problems with their method, look at this:

Where is the north arrow? Not only that Apple’s map data for Washington DC is cartoonish. No wonder people hate Apple Maps. I can tell you the maps of Phoenix look much better. Looking over the other supporting images is depressing. Breaking down what I do into flow charts, gawd we suck.

I look forward to licensing Apple’s patent to do my work.

December 19, 2013 Thoughts

Patents Are Awesome:: Apple Files Patent for GIS

So over coffee I read this:

Apple’s “Interactive Map” patent filing details a mapping program that enables users to dynamically adjust and view different “layers” of content pulled from the Internet. Examples include commuting, tourism and weather map layers, among others.

Layers of content, brilliant! Why did we not think of this before? The patent filing is a road map for GIS. But I see huge problems with their method, look at this:

Where is the north arrow? Not only that Apple’s map data for Washington DC is cartoonish. No wonder people hate Apple Maps. I can tell you the maps of Phoenix look much better. Looking over the other supporting images is depressing. Breaking down what I do into flow charts, gawd we suck.

I look forward to licensing Apple’s patent to do my work.

December 19, 2013 Thoughts

BIM Guys Want You to Think BIM is the Cat’s Meow

BIM is the new GIS? Can you dumb it down a shade?

Look, I got suckered into thinking BIM was the future. The painful fact is BIM is only useful to talk about, not actual use. But that won’t stop CAD companies from trying to convince you BIM is the future.

Let’s just say that BIM is the new GIS. In speaking with Mike DeLacey, CEO of Microdesk, a long time Autodesk partner and reseller, the terms are interchangeable in an Autodesk environment.

Will all do respect Mike, Neogeography (are we spelling it with our without CamelCase these days) is the new GIS. If BIM is interchangeable with GIS in Autodesk, I fear for Autodesk users. Given DWG is all about 0,0 (seriously though, how about require a projection Autodesk?) and unless we’re mapping null island, 0,0 is about as far from GIS as you can get.

December 9, 2013 Thoughts