Ever Wonder Where You Were???
by Gary Woods

Well ever since Google Maps showed up you don't have to wonder, but there are a lot of other sites out there that can help you figure out a thing or two. For instance Google's arch nemesis Microsoft has Windows Live Local http://live.local.com formally MSN Virtual Earth which combines Microsoft's Map-Point mapping service with its TerraServer satellite images. The big difference is with Google you have to download their viewer and with Windows Live Local you can just use your browser. The only real downside is outside the US borders, most images are high-altitude satellite views that aren't much clearer than their counterparts in a standard atlas.

Another free service is Maplandia.com http://www.maplandia.com. This free services puts a regional interface on Google Maps, organizing the site's maps and satellite images to continent and by country. Maplandia creates HTML links you can paste into your blog so that your visitors can view the same map with just one click.

On Terra-Server you can search for great satellite images by city, state and country, but you also get your choice of images from various providers. These images can be purchased at prices ranging from $7 to $150. The service sells prints of satellite images from hundreds of famous locations like Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and other equally awesome locales.

And if Google and Microsoft were already there you know that Yahoo would be close behind them. Check out http://maps.yahoo.com/beta

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910