Maps off google.ie

none

Anybody noticed that Maps are no longer featured on google.ie? Previously, it was on the top menu at http://www.google.ie/intl/en/options/ but since recently it's gone with the wind. Wonder why? There appears to be NO WAY to find a link to Maps on google.ie now. What a shame!

OldCustomer

I have my homepage set to a US Google server which gives me google.com and a link to maps rather than google.ie. So go to http://64.233.167.99/ and try it yourself.

none

You think many would bother typing, let alone remembering an IP address? My point is not that I can't find their Maps but rather why they removed any links to it from their Irish site. Especially, considering that in Ireland you can't generally simply type google.com and expect to get a normal layout since their designers thought it makes more sense to automatically redirect to the appropriate local version based on user's preferences or IP address. Probably, the same designers who thought it's unwise to show Maps for the Irish as Ireland is covered rather poorly anyway. Removing useful features and trying to think for the users the wrong way - it does remind of another IT powerhouse :cool:

Hal1

Ever try windows live maps? Much better quality.

gezas

Just use www.google.com/maps. I use it on mine web page and it working fine.

KatCookie

gezas wrote: »

Just use www.google.com/maps. I use it on mine web page and it working fine.

google.com/maps should be just the same as it always was?

gezas

yes it is.

none

Almost exactly one year later, it's back But I indeed prefer Microsoft maps (Bing) now, especially their bird's eye view. When Google keeps spelling Library as Ubrary and unable to find such a street because of this, what's the point of using it? Their maps search, however, is still probably the best as Bing loses here completely. But Bing by default positions me on Ireland (based on IP) while Google keeps showing the US when I open it. There are pros and cons for each but I'm glad Google put its maps back on its Irish site even so I'm using it less than before :P

link8r

none wrote: »

Almost exactly one year later, it's back But I indeed prefer Microsoft maps (Bing) now, especially their bird's eye view. When Google keeps spelling Library as Ubrary and unable to find such a street because of this, what's the point of using it? Their maps search, however, is still probably the best as Bing loses here completely. But Bing by default positions me on Ireland (based on IP) while Google keeps showing the US when I open it. There are pros and cons for each but I'm glad Google put its maps back on its Irish site even so I'm using it less than before :P

You could just have searched for "maps" or gone to "Google.ie/map". You can also stop localised home pages by going to Google.com/ncr (No Country Recognition) and you can force US search results by adding &gl=us in the search results.

Most users just want a relevant search and so Google automatically selects the right geo-location and geo-related results for that user. It seems to work - they're still super popular.

Wonder if they will continue to be with Personalised search....

none

link8r wrote: »

You could just have searched for "maps" or gone to "Google.ie/map". You can also stop localised home pages by going to Google.com/ncr (No Country Recognition) and you can force US search results by adding &gl=us in the search results.

Most users just want a relevant search and so Google automatically selects the right geo-location and geo-related results for that user. It seems to work - they're still super popular.

Wonder if they will continue to be with Personalised search....

Well, Google Maps automatically selects the WRONG geo-location. It shows me the US despite my Irish IP and the referrer (google.ie). By the way, "Google.ie/map" doesn't work but all the other suggestions do make sense in everything except for one small thing - extra clicks, i.e., efforts.
Don't get me wrong, Google.ie is my most used site and I use their maps more than any others (hence the original question). But I feel they're losing ground here to Bing whose maps are considerably better.

kdaly100

Does this help you in anyway?

http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=153807

none

kdaly100 wrote: »

Does this help you in anyway?

http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=153807

Well, no. I tried to figure out what is My Location but couldn't. Probably didn't spend much time but that just proves my point about extra efforts. Moreover, all that talk about privacy is rubbish when it comes from the company that is happily sharing all requested information with Chinese, American and, probably, many other authorities.

none

On the privacy at Google:
GOOGLE ITSELF HAS been criticised for its approach to privacy. It retains information on what people have searched for, what maps they have looked at and what is in their e-mail accounts. As recently as 2007, Privacy International, a London-based human rights watchdog, ranked Google lowest of a group of internet companies it surveyed and said it was actually “hostile to privacy”, a conclusion that Google fiercely contested.