Project

Mapdaze

A blog article with a mapdaze map

In the mid 2000s, sharing was all the rage on the interweb. This sharing includes the development of applications or widgets that can be incorporated into another website. One of these widgets was Google Maps that allowed a user to add maps to his/her site. Unfortunately at the beginning, it was quite cumbersome to do so, as the web page developers would have to insert the maps through javascript code (and not everybody understands javascript). Of course, eventually Google got it right and allowed users (albeit in a limited fashion) to create simple maps.

I created Mapdaze, a web 2.0 application, as a way to allow users who had no javascript coding ability to add maps to their blog. There were other general applications that attempt the same thing, the main difference is that Mapdaze is focused on connecting maps to blogs. A registered mapdaze user may create maps for each article on his/her blog. A main index map is created automatically which allows readers of the blog to browse blog articles by location. finally users have the option of being shown publicly, which allows readers of one blog to see blog articles which are in the same general area.

Mapdaze for facebook

An extension of mapdaze was created as an facebook application. Instead of blogs however, users are able to map the location of their pictures. They can also see locations of their friend's pictures as well as any pictures taken by their friends in the general area of their pictures.

Interface

The user can select the size of the map, the default map view (satellite, normal, or hybrid), as well as the zoom level. Users can add markers to the map to show the locations that a blog article mentions. Changes are saved automatically through AJAX. A user is able to edit any maps they have created, maps will automatically be uploaded in his/her blog.

Mapdaze interface

Final remarks

Unfortunately this program didn't really get much traction. Not too many people signed up for it. A couple of reasons for this:

1. Marketing wasn't really my forte. I needed early adopters, and frankly I don't know how to get them.
2. It would seem that users found the interface to be too difficult, or the concept of mapping to be too hard. Educating users is a long process which unfortunately I had no time for.
3. Other things (such as dissertation and research) got in the way so I had to reduce the time to work on this project

Right now this project is on hold. The idea still holds interest for me, however a new interface would be something on top of the list to do.

Technical Details

• This application was created using PHP and MySQL
• Facebook API was used to create the facebook application
• Used AJAX through the xajax interface
• Built January-June 2007

Links

• http://www.mapdaze.com Mapdaze site
• http://apps.facebook.com/mapdaze Mapdaze facebook application