The infowindows for PoIs in Google Maps are chocked full of advertising. Most of the infowindows have a first or second line that's an ad URL. Clicking on it will switch your whole browser window to the URL. Also, people seem to be able to post anything they want into the windows, with no editorial control for accuracy or even relevance. It's like Virtual Tourist or something.
I guess it's an interesting exercise in anarchy. Not sure I'd want to see it enabled on a custom map I've groaned over for ages, especially when most of the "information" is advertising, or inaccurate and repetitive. Having a "roll your own PoIs layer" (the Google Earth Community) in Google Earth is great, because the user can turn it off and on. And, the layer is presented as user content. The PoIs now appearing on Google Maps look like authoritative content, similar to transport icons or hospital and school labels. Of course we all know no system such as this is perfect. But we trust Google's stuff to be as good as it gets. The current implementation of "points of (historic or cultural) interest" may be a bit disingenuous. Just a bit. Maybe. On Feb 19, 6:05 pm, "warden [Andrew Leach - Maps API Guru]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > I expect that there is advertising revenue to be won for Google by > allowing punters to click on POIs, so I don't expect any movement on > making them optional. But they should be accurate or they are no use > to anyone, whether map user or POI-proprietor. > > Andrew --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Google Maps API" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-API?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
