Open Source versions of APIs from Google?

According to Pamela Fox, there will be some apis provided to an open source environment where users can add functionality. Gotta learn more about this, but it's a bit lower on my list. There are more pressing matters.

One open source addition mentioned was some guy creating a zoom box. Very nice. Another mention of a guy in Finland releasing graphing on the map support this summer.

OpenLayers Open Source Maps

So some guy who looks like he was 16 just gave a presentation that was better than Microsoft, Garmin, Platial, and many more. He was talking about OpenLayers, an open source javascript mapping engine. It's one of those "I want to go sell hot dogs" moments. Now I'm going to have to go figure out what this is and what it can do. I'm scare to think it's something I may feel compelled to learn and use in some sort of way -- just to make my life more complete. Maybe I should just quit and sell hot dogs. I think mustard will be my thing. I'll have 12 different kinds of mustard, some home made. Yah, that could work.

TIGER to open source format and shapefiles

http://freegeotools.blogspot.com/2007/02/tiger-is-moving-to-shapefile-and-web.html

Tiger may become a more viable alternative, especially for web apps. It won't have the quality needed for geocoding or routing, but shouldn't be too bad for visualization of non-aerial maps.