Google Maps: Easy and Effective

The story of the day seems to be the fires in California, and I found a good example of an effective way to use the Google Maps we talked about in class a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Times has thorough coverage of the fires. A link on the homepage takes Web surfers to a Google Map that includes locations of each fire and information on the number of homes destroyed and people injured. This map is an example of a tool that is simple to use but valuable. The precise location of the fires is something that residents of California need to know, especially if they have evacuated from the area and have no other way of knowing about the houses and valuables they left behind.

The New York Times also has a map of the fires. Although I think it looks more professional than a Google Map at first glance, it does not have anywhere near the value. The small picture cannot be enlarged, and the only cities on the map are San Diego, Santa Barbara, Malibu and Los Angeles, leaving people to only estimate where the fires are occurring. It isn't as imperative for the New York Times to include detailed information, but because this is such a large national news story, it would make it much more interesting. In this case, there is no doubt that the map by The Los Angeles Times wins. A map such as the one used by the New York Times would not have satisfied the needs of their readers.