Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

They've combined it with Multimap.

They have got rid of the 3D functionality - while Google Earth still has 3D
views, Windows Live Local used to allow you to switch at will between 3D map
view and 3D photo view, but this feature is now gone from the web.

They have got rid of the old vector map they used, and replaced it with
raster maps, presumably the old Multimap ones. While I don't dislike the new
maps, we used to have the choice of vector maps in WLL and raster maps in
Multimap, now we have no choice. Also, the maps are no longer draggable
which makes them a pain to navigate.

All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and I'm not
sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the Birds Eye views
taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been binned.

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"
wrote:

They've combined it with Multimap.

They have got rid of the 3D functionality - while Google Earth still has 3D
views, Windows Live Local used to allow you to switch at will between 3D map
view and 3D photo view, but this feature is now gone from the web.

They have got rid of the old vector map they used, and replaced it with
raster maps, presumably the old Multimap ones. While I don't dislike the new
maps, we used to have the choice of vector maps in WLL and raster maps in
Multimap, now we have no choice. Also, the maps are no longer draggable
which makes them a pain to navigate.

All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and I'm not
sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the Birds Eye views
taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been binned.


Why has it happened? Simple, Multimap was bought by Microsoft last
December.

I must admit I predominantly used WLL (or Live Maps as the service
seemed to be renamed) for the Bird's Eye view facility, which is
retained here. As you say though it's a shame to lose the choice of
using a different service. Google Maps do continue to provide vector
maps. Incidentally whilst Multimap (and Streetmap) use A-Z style
raster mapping in London, if you look elsewhere you'll see that they
use different mapping to cover other cities such as Leeds - which is I
think actually vector mapping, though it doesn't offer the same ease
of zooming in and out that the old WLL maps did (which also allowed
you to do this with your mouse's scrollwheel if you had such a thing).

Also, incidentally, the Multimap mapping is proving quite draggable to
me (and it works in map view, aerial view and Bird's Eye view modes).

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

"Mizter T" wrote in message
...

On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"
wrote:

They've combined it with Multimap.

All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and I'm
not
sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the Birds Eye views
taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been binned.

Why has it happened? Simple, Multimap was bought by Microsoft last
December.

So they bought out a historically important but subsequently totally
outclassed map resource, and then got rid of their own state-of-the-art one?
Presumably Multimap generated more revenue from its handful of users.

I must admit I predominantly used WLL (or Live Maps as the service
seemed to be renamed) for the Bird's Eye view facility, which is
retained here.

I used it for everything except zooming in on foreign countries, where
Google Earth had better photo resolution.

It had the only map in the world of the new-ish one-way system around Mount
Pleasant Rd N17. AFAIK there is not one commerically available, (although
new satnav maps should have it) and my several attempts to get one from
Haringey Council failed (yes, alright, I know from my five years maintaining
"Transport Plans For The London Area" that trying to get transport
information from any Labour Council is an utter waste of time, but I really
wanted this). Now it's gone. I decided about a week ago to print it out, but
it's too late now.

Incidentally whilst Multimap (and Streetmap) use A-Z style
raster mapping in London, if you look elsewhere you'll see that they
use different mapping to cover other cities such as Leeds - which is I
think actually vector mapping, though it doesn't offer the same ease
of zooming in and out that the old WLL maps did (which also allowed
you to do this with your mouse's scrollwheel if you had such a thing).

It has detailed vector maps showing one way systems for the entire country
except ~ the M25 area. Curses.
They've also ruined the route planning.. they've made it a lot harder to use
or view. And if you ask for St Loys Rd N17 to Crowland Rd N15, you get a
route travelling southward the length of Tottenham High Rd, which is fine,
if you're driving a bus... you can actually see the northward-only arrow on
the raster map alongside your southbound driving route down the contraflow
bus lane.

Lets try Rupert St to Half Moon St... yep, down the contraflow bus lane,
against the visible arrow on the raster map.

Lets try Mackworth St to Morwell St. Crash though the barrier to do a right
turn to Hampstead Road, then forward through the no entry sign into
Tottenham Court Road southbound.

Also, incidentally, the Multimap mapping is proving quite draggable to
me (and it works in map view, aerial view and Bird's Eye view modes).

Yes, you have to click "Interactive Map" first. Thanks. The point of the
non-interactive entry map evades me. What a mess.

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

Crap, Multimap is horrible...

Well, at least bird's eye views are still there - they should update
them though! The view of the house I live in differs in every single
shot: aerial view shows the place how it was before construction of
the house even started in 2004, first bird's eye view shows it under
construction in 2005, the rest of bird's eye views show it completed
but with different changes in areas around (2006-2007).

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"
wrote:
All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and I'm not
sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the Birds Eye views
taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been binned.

It does now work in Safari, which it didn't at all before. So there is
one benefit.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

On 12 Apr, 21:38, Mr Thant
wrote:
On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"

wrote:
All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and I'm not
sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the Birds Eye views
taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been binned.

It does now work in Safari, which it didn't at all before. So there is
one benefit.


Live Local is still there; it's only UK users who are redirected to
the completely awful multimap site. What a terrible decision by
Microsoft!

Fortunately the following link will take you to the original site:
http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-us

PaulO

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

Paul Oter wrote:
On 12 Apr, 21:38, Mr Thant
wrote:
On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"

wrote:
All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and
I'm not sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the
Birds Eye views taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been
binned.

It does now work in Safari, which it didn't at all before. So there
is one benefit.


Live Local is still there; it's only UK users who are redirected to
the completely awful multimap site. What a terrible decision by
Microsoft!

Fortunately the following link will take you to the original site:
http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-us

I can't thank you enough! Map of Tottenham heading for the printer right
now...

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

On 12 Apr, 22:05, Paul Oter wrote:

On 12 Apr, 21:38, Mr Thant
wrote:

On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"

wrote:
All in all, they have got rid of a lot of useful functionality and I'm not
sure why. We are basically left with Multimap, with the Birds Eye views
taken over from WLL, and the rest of WLL has been binned.

It does now work in Safari, which it didn't at all before. So there is
one benefit.

Live Local is still there; it's only UK users who are redirected to
the completely awful multimap site. What a terrible decision by
Microsoft!

Fortunately the following link will take you to the original site:
http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-us


I did think it pretty unlikely that the US site had completely
disappeared and replaced by Microsoft with this European upstart,
though my fiddling to try and get through to the US site only got as
far as clearing my browser's cache and then changing my browser's
langunge to US English, which didn't work.

So thanks Mr Oter. Given how John has raved about this original
version of Windows Live Maps I'll now give it a proper try.

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"
wrote:
They've combined it with Multimap.


Though today things seem to have reverted back to how they were - when
I enter the http://maps.live.com into the address bar or click on
the "Maps" tab on the Live Search home page at http://www.live.com
I'm no longer redirected towards Multimap.

Were the complaints directed towards Microsoft deafening, or is this
perhaps merely a temporary reprieve for UK users because the Multimap
servers couldn't hack it?

Can one read anything into the fact that the Multimap home page at
http://www.multimap.com/ is still displaying the "Multimap from Live
Search graphic"? Probably not.

However even if UK users are once again redirected to the Multimap
service in the future then as Paul Oter kindly pointed out upthread
(to the great relief of Mr Rowland) they can still get to the original
Live Search Map service via this URL: http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-us

Windows Live Local dimprovement
 

On 14 Apr, 18:29, Mizter T wrote:
On 11 Apr, 02:44, "John Rowland"

wrote:
They've combined it with Multimap.

Though today things seem to have reverted back to how they were - when
I enter the http://maps.live.com into the address bar or click on
the "Maps" tab on the Live Search home page at http://www.live.com
I'm no longer redirected towards Multimap.

Thanks for the update; that's good news.


Were the complaints directed towards Microsoft deafening, or is this
perhaps merely a temporary reprieve for UK users because the Multimap
servers couldn't hack it?

Let's hope it's the former...

PaulO