It's because Google Earth isn't just a flashy front-end - it's the back-end that really makes it. I'd argue that WorldWind is a better front-end and definitely more flexible (you've got the code, afterall) but Google, in general, has the back-end thing nailed down. I've spent a lot of time talking with various folks at the Federal level about what it would take to duplicate Google's backend. Since the Federal Government is not as tech-savvy as Google (ain't that obvious), the cost to create a government backend with the performance characteristics of Google would have costs on the order of TARP.
Google also has a bit of lead on the front-end - mostly from a UI point of view. Millions of people have downloaded GE and played with it for personal reasons. Doing work in the same environment reduces the learning curve. We're seeing the same thing with the Google Maps interface. It's arguably not the best web map interface, but it is well known and functions well. So many mid-level government managers are telling their developers "either use Google or make it look like Google". Check out store.usgs.gov for an example. -Eric -=--=---=----=----=---=--=-=--=---=----=---=--=-=- Eric B. Wolf 720-209-6818 USGS Geographer Center of Excellence in GIScience PhD Student CU-Boulder - Geography On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 12:09 PM, Anselm Hook <[email protected]> wrote: > Funny, google earth seems rudimentary... why can't I rewind or unwind > the history of plate tectonic activity for example? Or watch the > armies of man battle back and forth across the landscape of our > history... It's pretty but still so young. Surprised it has such > market share when world wind is open source and has more of a > potential to become a truly collaborative deep-time visualization > platform.... anyway... > > - me > > On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 10:59 AM, Catherine Burton > <[email protected]> wrote: >> Love to see that "geoweb pyramid" figure if you can dig up a copy or link. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bucci, David G >> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 10:54 AM >> To: Christian Willmes >> Cc: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Fwd: geospatial software developer at NASA Ames ( >> job opportunity ) >> >> Not sure why you'd find that remarkable ... GE has far broader exposure, >> and the immediate semantic context was "general public", and "outreach". >> Doesn't mean they don't use WW as well, for what it's good for, best >> tool, etc. >> >> Frankly, we're finding Google Earth used far more at this point for >> general visualization in the gov't communities, as well ... I think with >> the strength of KML as a "lingua franca" for data sharing for the >> masses, and the osmosis from public exposure, CNN and Foxnews and home >> usage, etc. -- not surprising that GE is pressing far into WW usage >> scenarios. >> >> Somewhere I have this "geoweb pyramid" figure that shows the broadest >> usage at the bottom "geobrowser" layer, with the general public using >> GE/GMaps, and GIS savviness increasing as you go up the levels (and the >> populations shrink), with transition over to WW, ArcGIS Explorer, ArcGIS >> Desktop, Manifold GIS, ArcGIS Server, etc. as the air gets thinner and >> thinner. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Christian >> Willmes >> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 1:11 PM >> Cc: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Fwd: geospatial software developer at NASA >> Ames ( job opportunity ) >> >> sounds like a great job, but remarkable that they don't mention their >> own product WorldWind in this context and instead GE two times?! >> >> Anselm Hook schrieb: >>>> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> ------ >>>> >>>> GEOSPATIAL SOFTWARE ARCHITECT >>>> >>>> Title: Software Developer (full-time position) >>>> Location: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA >>>> >>>> Want to help NASA return to the Moon? Want to build cutting-edge >> planetary >>>> mapping and modeling systems? Want to create geospatial user >> interfaces >>>> that reach millions of people? >>>> >>>> The NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group (irg.arc.nasa.gov) has an >>>> immediate opening for a full-time software developer to help create >> the >>>> next generation of planetary data systems, geospatial user >> interfaces, and >>>> teraflop image processing pipelines. This is a high-profile, >> high-impact >>>> opportunity to create software that will make a difference in how we >>>> explore space. This software will be used by NASA mission engineers, >> the >>>> planetary science community, and the general public, through Google >> Earth >>>> and other cutting-edge science and outreach platforms. >>>> >>>> Applicants should hold a B.S. (or higher) in Computer Science and >> have >>>> excellent software engineering and system development skills. A >> strong >>>> background in UNIX development and open-source tools is required. In >>>> addition, knowledge in one (or more) of the following areas is >> greatly >>>> preferred: >>>> >>>> - C++, Java, Python, and Django >>>> >>>> - distributed, multi-threaded and parallel processing >>>> >>>> - geospatial systems (GIS, geodesy, experience with GDAL, proj.4, >> etc.) >>>> >>>> - computer vision (camera models, stereo vision, 2D/3D mosaicking) >>>> >>>> - linear algebra and statistics, plus some knowledge of >> optimization, >>>> estimation, and probablistic methods >>>> >>>> If you are interested in applying for this position, please send the >>>> following via email: >>>> >>>> - a letter describing your background and software experience >>>> >>>> - a detailed resume (PDF or text) >>>> >>>> - contact details for two (or more) references >>>> >>>> to Dr. Terry Fong <[email protected]>. >>>> >>>> The NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) is dedicated to >> enabling >>>> humans and robots to explore and learn about extreme environments, >> remote >>>> locations, and uncharted worlds. IRG conducts applied research in a >> wide >>>> range of areas with an emphasis on robotics systems science and field >>>> testing. IRG's expertise includes applied computer vision >> (navigation, 3D >>>> surface modeling, automated science support), human-robot >> interaction, >>>> interactive 3D user interfaces, robot software architecture, and >> planetary >>>> rovers. Recent projects include: >>>> >>>> Google Mars 3D http://earth.google.com >>>> Google NASA Planetary Content: >> http://ti.arc.nasa.gov/projects/planetary >>>> Robotic Site Survey: http://haughton2007.arc.nasa.gov >>>> GigaPan GigaPixel Panoramas: http://gigapan.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Geowanking mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Geowanking mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Geowanking mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org >> > > > > -- > anselm 415 215 4856 http://hook.org http://makerlab.com http://meedan.net > > _______________________________________________ > Geowanking mailing list > [email protected] > http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org > _______________________________________________ Geowanking mailing list [email protected] http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org
