Google Maps just fucking SUCKS now

[jakeroot]

You could have also been making a "Windows sucks in general" joke. In which case, that's fine. But it's lost on gamers like me. You just can't game on a Mac.

That's why I have Win10 too. It also helps that I have never had to purchase Windows myself. My first computer was a gift, and for the computer I built for myself in 2010 (and am still using albeit with upgrades), I got a license for Windows 7 for free from my university (which I later used to get the free 10 upgrade).

I'm mostly in the same boat. My current computer shipped with Windows 8, which I also upgraded to 10 for free (as did most people I know who were using Windows 8).

I've had computers in the past (all gifts because I was young) that ran XP Media Center Edition, and Vista, but I never upgraded either. XP to Vista was the big no-no, for many reasons. And although I would have been happy to upgrade Vista to Windows 7, the computer that ran it was also only used for very basic things. I was using our desktop iMac more at that point, so I just didn't care. I've had two computers that shipped with Windows 7, which I upgraded to 8. But because I replaced both with a new Windows 8 machine before Windows 10 was released, both were relegated to my storage drawer (both laptops). So, both continue to run Windows 8.

[jakeroot]

it looks terrible, they just cant stop fucking with it.

That's the problem with programmers.  It's perfect, so let's make it "better"!  More like, better, my ass.

I'm sure programmers would rather have quite a few different colors. They are a lot like us: ordered, easily frustrated, etc. The reason Google changes stuff like this is because user feedback suggests it. My guess is, user feedback has increasingly said, "freeways are too bright", or "make things easier to find". They're focusing less on driving with this update, and more on things you can find while on foot.

[formulanone]

All this 3D imagery just creates very slow loading times on the PC. As someone who's used Google Maps extensively for the past dozen years or so, it's infuriating. I used to enjoy scanning the imagery, and checking out places on Street View, but it's no longer much fun, unless I have to do it (usually for work).

It's faster on a tablet and my phone, probably because it doesn't try to render every last tree, streetlamp, and mailbox in needlessly 3D.

[hotdogPi]

A few days ago, I had the color change with private browsing on Safari. When I checked a few minutes ago, it changed back to what it used to be. (I use private browsing so that it doesn't clog my history.)

[empirestate]

(I use private browsing so that it doesn't clog my history.)

Riiighhhhht...

[MNHighwayMan]

(I use private browsing so that it doesn't clog my history.)

Riiighhhhht...

Using private browsing on Google Maps is a bit of a waste, isn't it?

[SectorZ]

(I use private browsing so that it doesn't clog my history.)

Riiighhhhht...

Using private browsing on Google Maps is a bit of a waste, isn't it?

In Firefox (and probably every other browser), anytime you move the map it logs a history point. Looking at the map for a few minutes can mark hundreds of points in your history log. I can see the logic in private browsing to de-clutter that.

[kkt]

(I use private browsing so that it doesn't clog my history.)

Riiighhhhht...

Using private browsing on Google Maps is a bit of a waste, isn't it?

In Firefox (and probably every other browser), anytime you move the map it logs a history point. Looking at the map for a few minutes can mark hundreds of points in your history log. I can see the logic in private browsing to de-clutter that.

Yes.  This seems obvious to me.  I wish Google Maps didn't set history points every time you move, and private browsing is a reasonable response to that.

[jakeroot]

All this 3D imagery just creates very slow loading times on the PC. As someone who's used Google Maps extensively for the past dozen years or so, it's infuriating. I used to enjoy scanning the imagery, and checking out places on Street View, but it's no longer much fun, unless I have to do it (usually for work).

You can disable 3D imagery, you know. When you switch to satellite view, the menu says '3D on', but you can click that and change it to '3D off'.

I personally like the 3D imagery, because it can be a lot clearer than satellite imagery. And you can get a different perspective just by panning around while holding ctrl or cmd. Still though, the imagery can be older than satellite view, so I don't always use it.

[formulanone]

All this 3D imagery just creates very slow loading times on the PC. As someone who's used Google Maps extensively for the past dozen years or so, it's infuriating. I used to enjoy scanning the imagery, and checking out places on Street View, but it's no longer much fun, unless I have to do it (usually for work).

You can disable 3D imagery, you know. When you switch to satellite view, the menu says '3D on', but you can click that and change it to '3D off'.

I personally like the 3D imagery, because it can be a lot clearer than satellite imagery. And you can get a different perspective just by panning around while holding ctrl or cmd. Still though, the imagery can be older than satellite view, so I don't always use it.

Switching it off every time is silly when you're using Chrome and have a Google account, and the 3D view usually looks muddy and inconsistent.

[jakeroot]

All this 3D imagery just creates very slow loading times on the PC. As someone who's used Google Maps extensively for the past dozen years or so, it's infuriating. I used to enjoy scanning the imagery, and checking out places on Street View, but it's no longer much fun, unless I have to do it (usually for work).

You can disable 3D imagery, you know. When you switch to satellite view, the menu says '3D on', but you can click that and change it to '3D off'.

I personally like the 3D imagery, because it can be a lot clearer than satellite imagery. And you can get a different perspective just by panning around while holding ctrl or cmd. Still though, the imagery can be older than satellite view, so I don't always use it.

Switching it off every time is silly when you're using Chrome and have a Google account, and the 3D view usually looks muddy and inconsistent.

Google could theoretically implement the ability to disable 3D imagery, but I'm guessing they won't. The 3D imagery can take a little longer to load, but unlike a lot of other GMaps gripes that roadgeeks have, 3D imagery is not something that we're 100% against. And I think most of the public finds the 3D imagery useful. So, I hate to say it, but you're probably in the 1% here.

As for the imagery itself, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I've always found the 3D imagery to be extremely consistent from metro area to metro area, and the fact that it (for the most part) doesn't show cars can make it easier to decipher things like pavement markings. The imagery is usually very clean and smooth. Satellite shots are very good, of course. But sometimes they can be a little blurry. And they're usually of a lower resolution. The 3D imagery was taken from a much closer distance, so you can zoom in, and maintain clarity, to a much greater degree than with normal satellite mode.

[jakeroot]

(I use private browsing so that it doesn't clog my history.)

Riiighhhhht...

I must be the only person who browses pornography in the normal browser window. I appreciate the normal browser's ability to keep me logged in. And if I forget to favorite a video, I can usually go back and find it in my history.

[NE2]

I must be the only person who browses pornography in the normal browser window. I appreciate the normal browser's ability to keep me logged in. And if I forget to favorite a video, I can usually go back and find it in my history.

It's not just you.

[vdeane]

The stupid removal of differentiation for freeways is making it tempting to create my own maps style.
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/styling

[jakeroot]

I'm still not seeing the new look. None of my W10 browsers are pulling it up.

My mobile app (Google Maps version 9.66.1) on Android 7.0 also has the normal colors. Usually Google changes colors platform-wide.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Ugh!! My eyes!! They changed the colors on the map, and it's hurting my eyes!! They just updated it on my Chrome app on the computer!! 

[wxfree]

The new color scheme made its way to me earlier in the day.  I hated it.  At some levels I couldn't see the roads.  I could see the labels showing where the highways should be, but I had to open the Street View overlay to actually see them or the unnumbered roads.  At most levels they were at least hard to see.  Fortunately for now it's gone back to the way it was.

[7/8]

My maps just updated last night. I actually don't think it's that bad (though it's not really an improvement either). I appreciate that they've reintroduced outlines for local/white roads, which makes them easier to see at more zoomed-in levels. Local/white roads are still very hard to read when zoomed-out though . Making freeways similar in colour to arterials is also a downgrade. In the end, the lack of good contrast is still my biggest gripe (what good is a map if you struggle to see the roads?)

[vdeane]

Honestly, looking at the new maps hurts my eyes.  Local roads are impossible to see when zoomed out due to the lack of contrast, and telling freeways/arterials apart is near impossible unless you already know the area, rendering the maps useless in many situations.  Since I generally use maps in incognito, I'll often close the browser window and reopen to get it back to the old rendering.  It's getting to the point where I'm getting the new maps more often, though, and I'll probably eventually be stuck with it.  At that point, I might switch to the API (which hasn't started updating), a custom rendering, or even start switching many of my activities to another product (MapQuest is acceptable for driving directions, though it's not as convenient because dragging to change the route creates new destinations rather than just moving the route).

[wxfree]

They brought the change back to me.  Here's a snippet of what it looks like.  I know there are roads in that area, I've driven on them.  Google thinks I don't deserve to know where they are.

[index]

In the end, the lack of good contrast is still my biggest gripe (what good is a map if you struggle to see the roads?)

Good point, I wouldn't have thought of it. What Google is trying to do here is trying to make Maps look pretty with all the lack of contrast between objects, at the expense of usability. They fail to realize that the goal of a map is clarity, detail/contrast, (and the ability to differentiate things in general) and navigability, not looks.

They're picking style over functionality here. Google can apply their flat material design/sleek looks to whatever they want, but a map isn't the place.

[vdeane]

Part of the problem is that Google doesn't care about those of us who use the maps to see roads.  They have two core user bases: those who only want to plug an address into the driving directions and use their phone as a GPS, and those who use it to find businesses and places while walking around downtown.  This update is for the latter.  They're making the roads hard to see to make places easier to see, similar to how many tourism maps will use a flat style with often inaccurate road data.

[Rothman]

Hate the new color scheme.  Blech.

[formulanone]

The stupid removal of differentiation for freeways is making it tempting to create my own maps style.

It's the Fritzowlization of Google Maps.

[jakeroot]

Got the update today, and all of my browsers saw the update. My Android app still has the old colors, though.

Upon first glance, it appears there are more freeways than there really are. But if you look very closely, you can see that freeways are a slightly darker yellow. It's not enough of a difference for it to mean anything, but at least Google still recognises the existence of grade-separated roads...