Here is the map I created using Google Maps. I decided to make a map based on the trip I took to the Baltimore Harbor this summer. I walked around the Harbor, stopping to see many attractions and enjoying the weather. To my surprise, I enjoyed creating the map, though I did have a difficult time using the line tool to create the path I walked in the Harbor.
View Baltimore Trip- 12 Aug 2012 in a larger map
Below is the chart I created using the Google Chart Editor. For my chart, I decided to use data I collected from a shopping center near my home. I wanted to show the types of vehicles parked at the shopping center in the evening (Oct. 15). I counted:
- 104 Sedans
- 61 Trucks/SUVs
- 12 Vans/ Mini vans
- 8 Crossovers/ Station wagons
Though the chart seemed simple to use during Prof. Cohen’s demonstration in class, I became a bit confused as to how it worked when I used it and I had to keep reminding myself that this was a beta. I first had problems getting my data to display on the chart. For some reason, this web app would not let me input single numbers, so I had to type in two numbers for it to display right (i.e. 0, 104 rather than just 104). I then had problems getting the bar on the chart to display the number 104 (for the number of sedans in the lot). This is where I had to remind myself that this app was not in its final form, as that app would only display numbers up to 100. Even though I could change the X-axis range from 0-104, the bar would only stop at 100, making the rest of the bars on the chart incorrect.
Though these web apps (especially the Chart app) may still have a ways to go before reaching perfection, I do find that they can become valuable tools in our world today. The Google Maps interface can be used easily to share and teach people about specific locations in the world and to learn about the important events that happened there. The Chart Editor can be used to display information in minutes without the use of expensive computer software and can quickly be shared over the net. These web apps will have a good futures once they are improved upon.