Google Introduces Easy Mapmaking For Regular Folk

Mashups. They’ve been around for years. Enterprising folks have done phenomenal things with the tools offered for the creation of unique applications by companies like Yahoo! and Google for little or no cost. Google has done it with its Maps API; Yahoo! has released numerous such items to its developer network. It even debuted Yahoo! Pipes, a mashup creation tool, giving individuals or groups with less-than-expert knowledge of computer languages like JavaScript, XML, and others the power to mold their own special somethings, some of which have created a good deal of buzz.

Perhaps the most famous piece of code in recent history in the realm of mashups is the Google Maps API. And, while its potential usefulness has been tested by developers around the world, developers have been the only ones able to take full advantage of the API.

Today, however, marked the advent of My Maps, Google’s mashup creation tool in which the company’s star API acts as the central character. Google is hoping to attract its average user to the product, much as any curious individual would begin to build given LEGOs or similar construction elements.

My Maps is no different than the original Maps API at its core. The same magic resides underneath the hood. But the user need not be proficient in JavaScript to embed text, photos, and videos into a My Maps project. It will be very simple to do so, as will be the publication of a user’s custom map – if the user so chooses to do so.

A user’s map can be added to Google’s engine, making it available to anyone who happens upon the creation in his/her Google searches. The option to embed the finished item to a personal page is also possible, where visitors to the site at which the My Maps creation exists can add information as they would to any mashup made with the Maps API.

The purpose of My Maps is to make one of Google’s best developments open for public experimentation. The number of JavaScript pros is far fewer than those enjoying the fruits of the pros’ work. Now those who wish to experiment with Google Maps for their personal enjoyment or to share with Google’s users can do so without cramming in hours of coding classes or sifting through hundreds of pages of computer language tutorials.

While Google remains in the headlines because of the corporate ties (mostly advertising related) it continues to forge, we welcome the company’s outreach to the average user with new products such as this. Like the Maps API to come before, My Maps will certainly gain momentum as knowledge about the development grows. It’ll be exciting to see what comes of the new novice-friendly mashup creator.