Google Maps just fucking SUCKS now

[SD Mapman]

I don't know. Works fine for me...
What I like about the new version is the 3d satellite images they have in some places (Rapid City, SD to name one). It's mesmerizing.

[cpzilliacus]

The AARoads Forum, specifically this thread, earns a mention in the Washington Post!

Map rage: Navigating Google's revised way-finding system by Robert Thomson (Dr. Gridlock)

Nicely done!

[silverback1065]

Wow I thought I was the only one! I'm very angry that they removed the distance measurement tool! I used that all the time! I also don't understand why google still hasnt put county boundaries on the maps (townships would be nice too)! Also mapmaker has always been complete shit!

GT-N5110

[jbnv]

I'm not a fan of Google Maps to begin with, because Google. I avoid using Google products for several reasons--their politics, their collecting of data, their cooperation with tyrannical governments, etc. I actually returned a Nest thermostat without installing it because Google bought Nest. However, nobody else has Street View, and Google's app is simply better than Mapquest's in several ways. Sigh.

Now as for the new version, I find it to be slower. Street View is more of a pain to work with, and doesn't provide the zoom any more. Also, I can't find the link generator.

[DaBigE]

So after resetting my default to the classic Google Maps, I filled out the survey as well.

Today, I received this in my email:

Hello,

Growing up, directions were simple–in my hometown of Lawrence, Kansas, the roads conveniently run north to south and east to west (and there's only one hill to block the view). For more than a decade, my team and I have been working to make it just as easy for you to see the world and get where you're going.

I'd like to thank you for trying out the new Google Maps and helping us make it better. With your great feedback, now it's even easier to decide where to go, how to get there, and what to explore in the area (with Pegman's help if needed). Now we're ready for the rest of the world to try it out.

Even though the new Google Maps has launched, we're just getting started. There will be some things we don't get quite right, so please continue to let us know how we're doing. I look forward to mapping together for many more years to come.

–Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps

I wonder if it was triggered by the Washington Post article. If not, Google's form email is very slow in sending, as I filled out the survey a few weeks ago.

[myosh_tino]

As for the question of "why fix it if it ain't broke?", it seems to me that the new interface is designed to be more readily usable by people on touch screen devices (which explains why they did away with right clicking). Given the growing number of users that are working with tablets rather than traditional PCs, this is not a trivial matter and I do not fault Google for seeking to address it.

Your argument doesn't make any sense!  Tablet users (both Android and iOS) have their OWN Google Maps App that are either pre-installed (Android) or can be downloaded from the app store (iOS).

For the most part, the only people going to maps.google.com using a web browser are traditional PC users who are not using a touch interface unless you're running Windows 8 which seems to be a total flop and accounts for maybe 10% of all traditional computer users.  If the change was prompted because of Windows 8, then I'll fault both Google AND Microsoft! 

[agentsteel53]

well, I sure as shit didn't get a form email.  apparently my writing "hey, you guys are cocks" on some random forum isn't enough to get their attention.

[silverback1065]

They really need a customer service hotline.

GT-N5110

[Zeffy]

So after resetting my default to the classic Google Maps, I filled out the survey as well.

Today, I received this in my email:

Hello,

Growing up, directions were simple–in my hometown of Lawrence, Kansas, the roads conveniently run north to south and east to west (and there's only one hill to block the view). For more than a decade, my team and I have been working to make it just as easy for you to see the world and get where you're going.

I'd like to thank you for trying out the new Google Maps and helping us make it better. With your great feedback, now it's even easier to decide where to go, how to get there, and what to explore in the area (with Pegman's help if needed). Now we're ready for the rest of the world to try it out.

Even though the new Google Maps has launched, we're just getting started. There will be some things we don't get quite right, so please continue to let us know how we're doing. I look forward to mapping together for many more years to come.

–Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps

I wonder if it was triggered by the Washington Post article. If not, Google's form email is very slow in sending, as I filled out the survey a few weeks ago.

I never filled out a survey, yet I got this email as well. Maybe I should go fill one out...

For the most part, the only people going to maps.google.com using a web browser are traditional PC users who are not using a touch interface unless you're running Windows 8 which seems to be a total flop and accounts for maybe 10% of all traditional computer users.  If the change was prompted because of Windows 8, then I'll fault both Google AND Microsoft! 

Where do people get the hate for Windows 8? I never disliked it, even before 8.1. I have had virtually no issues with Windows 8/8.1.

[Sykotyk]

My biggest complaint is with the mobile app. My android phone was forced to update, and that included Google Maps.

The problem I have with the setup is this: If you get a routing, and then follow the routing, you can't drop a pin somewhere on the map. That means you have to X out of the routing, which usually takes you back to where you started or zoom out all the way. This is decidedly inconvenient.

The improvements are nice. But this one thing makes it a horrible.

[roadman65]

One thing, though, I noticed that if you drag the yellow man down to the map for Street View you MUST hit the target!  If you miss the blue line, the map will suddenly zoom out.

[wphiii]

No slowdown issues for me, but some pretty irritating things going on that I've found so far:

- Toggling "modes" (to terrain, traffic, etc) erases anything that's been pinpointed as a result of a previous search.
- You can't get directions while in terrain mode (or enter terrain mode while a directions route is being displayed).
- The drop-down list of things you've recently searched for/directions you've recently asked for seems to be gone completely. I learned this the hard way when I thought I was just temporarily "turning off" a pretty complicated set of directions, only to realize that there didn't appear to be a way to turn them back on.
- Forcing me to see what flickr accounts and panoramas are nearby whenever I enter street view is pretty annoying.
- I swear there are way fewer directions segments + manual alterations to routes permitted in this new version.

[Scott5114]

Windows 8 discussion split to https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11761.0 .

[bugo]

So after resetting my default to the classic Google Maps, I filled out the survey as well.

Today, I received this in my email:

Hello,

Growing up, directions were simple–in my hometown of Lawrence, Kansas, the roads conveniently run north to south and east to west (and there's only one hill to block the view). For more than a decade, my team and I have been working to make it just as easy for you to see the world and get where you're going.

I'd like to thank you for trying out the new Google Maps and helping us make it better. With your great feedback, now it's even easier to decide where to go, how to get there, and what to explore in the area (with Pegman's help if needed). Now we're ready for the rest of the world to try it out.

Even though the new Google Maps has launched, we're just getting started. There will be some things we don't get quite right, so please continue to let us know how we're doing. I look forward to mapping together for many more years to come.

–Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps

I wonder if it was triggered by the Washington Post article. If not, Google's form email is very slow in sending, as I filled out the survey a few weeks ago.

I never filled out a survey, yet I got this email as well. Maybe I should go fill one out...

For the most part, the only people going to maps.google.com using a web browser are traditional PC users who are not using a touch interface unless you're running Windows 8 which seems to be a total flop and accounts for maybe 10% of all traditional computer users.  If the change was prompted because of Windows 8, then I'll fault both Google AND Microsoft! 

Where do people get the hate for Windows 8? I never disliked it, even before 8.1. I have had virtually no issues with Windows 8/8.1.

The same reason everyone hated ME and Vista:  because they suck.

[kkt]

(unless people like crashing?  in which case I may have a Windows 95 install disc somewhere.)

I'll see yer Windows 95 and raise you Windows ME...

[formulanone]

I never had much issue with ME, it just didn't seem to do much that 98 couldn't do, except crash somewhat less (perhaps I was the lucky one). XP make it seem a lot more archaic, that's pretty much a given...

[1995hoo]

I never had very many problems with Vista, but I am happier with Windows 7. My wife's laptop runs Vista and it's starting to get very slow, but it's also seven years old this May.

Returning to Google Maps: Earlier this afternoon I downloaded (and am using as I type this post) a 64-bit browser called Waterfox, which is based on the current version of Firefox. I did some research before downloading and found generally positive reviews. So far it is considerably faster than Firefox for most browsing and I have not encountered the annoying problem where Firefox just randomly freezes up and says "(Not Responding)" for a minute or two, then resumes working. I find the new Google Maps to be faster in 64-bit Waterfox than it is in 32-bit Firefox, but it's still not as fast as the old Google Maps was in 32-bit Firefox (and I have not yet tried using the old interface in the 64-bit browser).

[doorknob60]

Occasionally I do have performance problems with it (usually in Firefox, but still usable in most cases; it usually (but not always) works better on Chrome though), but can the old Google Maps do this? (Actually, all 6 of these screenshots were taken in Firefox, so it still gets the job done)

Link to album (6 1080p images): http://imgur.com/a/XXCwf#0





I don't want to embed any more in here but you get the point, pretty cool feature how it manages to make everything into 3D (even individual trees!) and add proper textures to everything, I was shocked when I found out how to do this! Oh, just click the tilt view button twice near the bottom right while in Earth mode.


(I realize the desktop Google Earth client might be able to do this now; it was never this good in the past though, but I haven't used it in at least a year due to bugginess).

[NE2]

Occasionally I do have performance problems with it (usually in Firefox, but still usable in most cases; it usually (but not always) works better on Chrome though), but can the old Google Maps do this?

So it's a whore that looks great but can't perform.

[vdeane]

I think the old maps had something called the "Google Earth Plugin" that could do something like that.  You had to install it separately though.

[Occidental Tourist]

One thing, though, I noticed that if you drag the yellow man down to the map for Street View you MUST hit the target!  If you miss the blue line, the map will suddenly zoom out.

And good luck trying to follow a road for any distance on Street View.  The old version had set arrows in the pavement to advance or retreat on a route.  The new version does not.  Go over a complex viaduct in the new version and you'll find yourself in an underpass with no way out and no way to advance.  Here's a good example:  Try to cross the Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge on Street View.  I dare you.

[hotdogPi]

One thing, though, I noticed that if you drag the yellow man down to the map for Street View you MUST hit the target!  If you miss the blue line, the map will suddenly zoom out.

And good luck trying to follow a road for any distance on Street View.  The old version had set arrows in the pavement to advance or retreat on a route.  The new version does not.  Go over a complex viaduct in the new version and you'll find yourself in an underpass with no way out and no way to advance.  Here's a good example:  Try to cross the Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge on Street View.  I dare you.

Click the overpass when  that happens. Sometimes you'll return.

[doorknob60]

I think the old maps had something called the "Google Earth Plugin" that could do something like that.  You had to install it separately though.

Never worked on Linux though, so irrelevant to me. Either way, it's not so much the fact that it's in the browser that was impressive (although it is impressive), but the fact that every single building and even tree is now rendered in 3D. It was not like this before, even in the standalone Earth application (last time I checked). Plus. the draw distance is incredible.

[Brian556]

Quote from NE2:

So it's a whore that looks great but can't perform

With whores it's usually the other way around. Just bring a paper bag and enjoy the ride.

[Zeffy]

Okay, so I decided to see if Google Maps new version has gotten any better. So, I made a new private window in Firefox, closed my one populated with tabs (to increase performance), and set out to the Google Maps homepage. It asked if I wanted to try the new maps, I gulped and clicked yes. After waiting for a browser crash, nothing happened - I carefully zoomed in - expecting to take 20sec or more to load the area of New Jersey I was looking over - to my surprise - it loaded fast. About two seconds. Impressed, I toggled Earth view and flew on over to Trenton and tilted the view. Apparently, Trenton is a flat place where buildings don't use a Z axis:


Yay, Trenton is flat. Thanks Google for showing how great the capital really isn't!

So, disappointed with Trenton, I went to a slightly worse place on the Delaware River: Camden. I thought that if Trenton was flat, then Camden would be even worse! Annnnnd I was wrong:


I guess Camden is doing better than Trenton nowadays. Well then.

So, continuing to see which cities Google Maps favored, I went to the bigger players in New Jersey: Newark. I can say that I honestly expected to see 3d buildings, so when I did, I wasn't left pissed:


One of the more urban areas in New Jersey, with plenty of city like buildings. Still wouldn't live there.

Finally before I ended my tour 3d building hunting, I flew to the only place in New Jersey where you can find real skyscrapers: Jersey City. I flew down to the coast near the Hudson River, and was delighted to see the pretty buildings lining the waterfront in downtown Jersey City:


Yay Skyscrapers! Wait, look in the background. It's Manhattan. Reminds me of the Super Bowl Program that featured Manhattan while leaving a small view of Jersey City in the background.

So, apparently, Google Maps did something right, because the new version hasn't done anything stupid yet. Or maybe it's the ridiculous amount of tabs I have open in my main Firefox window. Although when I did this same thing before with the private window, it was just as bad as if I did have my tabs open. Even with these improvements, I'm still going to continue using old maps. The 3d views and such is cool, but, meh, I don't feel like closing tabs and opening a private window just to use Google Maps.