tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12560740.post111490564690963390..comments2023-05-04T10:27:07.342-05:00Comments on Lenny Vasbinder - Rants, Raves, Opinions & Information - From Computer Tech To Politics: Satellite Imaging Software Comparison - Google's KeyholeLT ($29.95) vs. NASA's WorldWind (Free)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12560740.post-1115858171700305832005-05-11T19:36:00.000-05:002005-05-11T19:36:00.000-05:00WOW! Look at the edit added to the main post. Ke...WOW! Look at the edit added to the main post. Keyhole has updated it's entire database so there are far more high definition images in most cities and the entire globe is at least available in medium definition. This is TEN times better.. maybe even a 100 times better than it was before.Lenny Vasbinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12610609186613079943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12560740.post-1115023580655166922005-05-02T03:46:00.000-05:002005-05-02T03:46:00.000-05:00I totally agree on the user interface. It's not as...I totally agree on the user interface. It's not as easy to use as it could be, however most people seem to pick it up alright.<BR/><BR/>About the huge size - hopefully we'll be getting out a smaller download (~5Mb). The reason for the huge download is that the entire Blue Marble dataset is included to give people something to look at when they open the program.<BR/><BR/>The point about the tax dollars is interesting....World Wind is very popular outside of the US, something like 50% of users were non-US I think. Also since it's open source, it's developed by the community, and we've done lots with World Wind. If it wasn't free & open source then I doubt World Wind would be where it is today.<BR/><BR/>Also in terms of the budget, virtually all of the server kit has been donated by Dell / Microsoft, which is nice.<BR/><BR/>Lastly - I checked in the chat room and I think that for the 1.3.1 patch to take effect, World Wind must be restarted.<BR/><BR/>But I wouldn't bother installing again, I'd wait another few weeks for 1.4 or the 1.3.2 patch, both have quite a few bug fixes / general improvements.<BR/><BR/>All the best,<BR/><BR/>TheBeansproutAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12560740.post-1115003854280403702005-05-01T22:17:00.000-05:002005-05-01T22:17:00.000-05:00Dear TheBeanSprout,If you re-read that review, you...Dear TheBeanSprout,<BR/><BR/>If you re-read that review, you will see where it was written for a P.I. group since I am a retired P.I. and I clearly state that WorldWind is probably good for educational use but it was compared to Keyhole by PCWorld or PCMag... I don't remember off-hand, so I did the review based on the fact that it was being compared. They are both good programs but it does not have the commercial applications that Keyhole has and I am a business person, not a student.<BR/><BR/>Most people don't have time to read manuals. I've got a wall full of program manuals and if people had to read them to learn a program, they would never learn it. Programs need to be easy to use out of the box, at least for the basic functions. I am not a computer dummy, like many people my age, so programs that are not user-friendly right out of the box get off to a negative start with me. Unlike students and teenagers, most business people do not have time to read manuals or hang out in forums trying to learn how to get a program to work right.<BR/><BR/>Go complain about someone else's blog. lol Just kidding... it's good to know that someone read my blog already. I just put that up. I've got more RROI's coming from my other website but I just did that comparison and decided to start off my blog with that since it was ready made for posting.<BR/><BR/>My blog is for MY "Rants, Raves, Opinions and Information" but you are welcome to post your constructive comments which might help others who want to try WorldWind. Most people don't have the knowledge or time to go into forums for information. Programmer's need to make their programs easy to use and for "dummy's" like 90% of computer users are.<BR/><BR/>I belong to several Yahoo Computer Groups and also regularly post on other forums with my questions and providing answers to others so I know the turmoil most people go through with a new program. I am always helping my friends and co-workers with their computers. If a program is not "easy" for me to use, then I know it's going to be HELL for 90% of the rest of the "adult" computer users out there.<BR/><BR/>Keyhole was pretty easy to use right out of the box and I never had to read a manual or go into a forum to use it. WorldWind was not that easy and I did not do all of the add-on's because it was already so HUGE in size.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your posts and thanks for adding the link to the WorldWind forum so others may find it. I'll "edit" my post and add a P.S. to the main post telling people to look at your comment since many people do not bother.<BR/><BR/>I'll visit your blog soon (when I find it since you posted anonymously) and rant and rave on one of your posts soon. lol<BR/><BR/>Another major problem that I have is that NASA, wholly funded by tax-payer dollars developed this HUGE program that they should be trying to sell to recoup some of OUR tax dollars but they are giving it away for free. It's another typical example of Government doing something that ends up costing the taxpayers millions of dollars in the long run.<BR/><BR/>Lenny VasbinderLenny Vasbinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12610609186613079943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12560740.post-1114994968828018072005-05-01T19:49:00.000-05:002005-05-01T19:49:00.000-05:00Hi,It's me again. I should mention, there are plan...Hi,<BR/><BR/>It's me again. I should mention, there are plans for a much smaller (~5Mb) World Wind download in the next few months, so that should help the dial up users :)<BR/><BR/>Also, the forum URL is http://forum.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov - whoops!<BR/><BR/>And I appear to have forgotten a "fourthly"....eek!<BR/><BR/>Yours,<BR/><BR/>TheBeansproutAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12560740.post-1114994582037405162005-05-01T19:43:00.000-05:002005-05-01T19:43:00.000-05:00Hi,Firstly you didn't read the manual.Secondly you...Hi,<BR/>Firstly you didn't read the manual.<BR/><BR/>Secondly you didn't install the add-ons which really make World Wind what it is.<BR/><BR/>Thirdly you don't even attempt to use the program or guess what the different mapping modes are.<BR/><BR/>Fifthly you believe that a free program will have as much high-res imagery as a commercial product. World Wind's Urban Area Orthography layer has .25m colour data for ~50 US cities via public domain imagery from the USGS, whereas Keyhole has much more because they paid for the frigging stuff.<BR/><BR/>Sixthly, World Wind is not a mapping tool like Keyhole, it is a 3D visualisation tool which is designed for educational use. This is why so many addons exist for it. Infact, try some of the icons on the right hand side of the toolbar to see.<BR/><BR/>I hope you re-install World Wind and realise its true potential.<BR/><BR/>Please see the Community site at www.worldwindcentral.com as well as the Wiki, which contains a plethora of information, at http://wiki.worldwindcentral.com.<BR/><BR/>Seventhly, please ask on the forums if you have any problems, at http://forums.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov<BR/><BR/>Lastly, I don't work for NASA, however I am one of the open source community volunteers who has supported it for months on end, and it is very annoying to see people tick something off as bad when they haven't even made the effort to read all the documentation and information we've created.<BR/><BR/>Yours,<BR/><BR/>TheBeansprout<BR/><BR/>PS - the tone of this comment is aggressive, however I hope you don't find it offensvie. Please understand my frustration! I wish you all the best with World Wind and hope you realise it is much more than a house-viewing program.<BR/><BR/>Try for instance going to Moutn Fuji, zooming (scrollwheel) to ~10,000metres with NLT Landsat7 selected, and tilting by holding the right mouse button and moving the mouse. I promise you will be amazed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com