Comments on: Google Maps Has Become a Real Trip Planner http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/ Connecting the dots ... Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:03:39 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Liam http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-17785 Liam Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:42:02 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-17785 @Anonymous "the trivial brute-force algorithm runs reasonably fast in javascript for up to 9 destinations" The problem with this is that the brute force algorithm requires the 'cost' of every possible trip to be known. For nine destinations that requires 36 driving times to be calculated, which is not feasible. @Anonymous “the trivial brute-force algorithm runs reasonably fast in javascript for up to 9 destinations”

The problem with this is that the brute force algorithm requires the ‘cost’ of every possible trip to be known. For nine destinations that requires 36 driving times to be calculated, which is not feasible.

]]> By: Google Maps « Jen Hone Best’s Blog http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-16891 Google Maps « Jen Hone Best’s Blog Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:06:32 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-16891 [...] maps before and used them to help me get from point a to point b. However I had never thought about using it as a trip planner. It is amazing how easy it is to find and pinpoint main attractions and then to add content such as [...] [...] maps before and used them to help me get from point a to point b. However I had never thought about using it as a trip planner. It is amazing how easy it is to find and pinpoint main attractions and then to add content such as [...]

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1089 Anonymous Mon, 09 Jul 2007 06:42:48 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1089 Yes, the traveling salesman problem is NP-hard, but the trivial brute-force algorithm runs reasonably fast in javascript for up to 9 destinations. I suspect many real-life cases will not exceed this. Anyway, it's not hard to get within 1-2% of the optimal solutions in cases with more destinations using heuristics such as ant colony optimization and local optimization of the trip. A demo which uses the Google Maps API can be found at gebweb.net/optimap Yes, the traveling salesman problem is NP-hard, but the trivial brute-force algorithm runs reasonably fast in javascript for up to 9 destinations. I suspect many real-life cases will not exceed this. Anyway, it’s not hard to get within 1-2% of the optimal solutions in cases with more destinations using heuristics such as ant colony optimization and local optimization of the trip. A demo which uses the Google Maps API can be found at gebweb.net/optimap

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1093 Anonymous Thu, 01 Feb 2007 11:57:14 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1093 Yes, the retail version of Mappoint will break a trip out into days, depending on how much you want to drive each day, and even schedule rest stops. I don't know if the web version does this. Yes, the retail version of Mappoint will break a trip out into days, depending on how much you want to drive each day, and even schedule rest stops. I don’t know if the web version does this.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1092 Anonymous Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:09:35 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1092 About twice a year, I take off for a cross-country trip. For years I've wanted a map tool that let's me put in start, and destination, and then the map auto-splits the route into daily drivable distances. (eg. Day 1: LA-PHX; Day 2: PHX-DAL, etc.) Neither the new Google Maps, or Yahoo Maps (beta) does this. Does anyone know if such a beast exists? About twice a year, I take off for a cross-country trip. For years I’ve wanted a map tool that let’s me put in start, and destination, and then the map auto-splits the route into daily drivable distances. (eg. Day 1: LA-PHX; Day 2: PHX-DAL, etc.)

Neither the new Google Maps, or Yahoo Maps (beta) does this.

Does anyone know if such a beast exists?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1091 Anonymous Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:28:32 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1091 Microsoft's MapPoint web-service has had this feature since 2003. Wait, Microsoft never innovates and only copies other companies. Sorry, I forgot. Microsoft’s MapPoint web-service has had this feature since 2003. Wait, Microsoft never innovates and only copies other companies. Sorry, I forgot.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1090 Anonymous Wed, 20 Dec 2006 03:19:53 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1090 They have real time traffic now in Chicago. I use it all the time on my Treo 650. They have real time traffic now in Chicago. I use it all the time on my Treo 650.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1088 Anonymous Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:42:43 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1088 Automatically optimizing the route is not quite a trivial problem. In fact it's one of the classic "hard" computational problems in computer science. Do a search for "traveling salesman problem". Automatically optimizing the route is not quite a trivial problem. In fact it’s one of the classic “hard” computational problems in computer science. Do a search for “traveling salesman problem”.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1087 Anonymous Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:16:58 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1087 while it's nice, they definitely should be able to auto-optimize the route. also, each point should have a unique icon to distinguish it! while it’s nice, they definitely should be able to auto-optimize the route. also, each point should have a unique icon to distinguish it!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1086 Anonymous Tue, 19 Dec 2006 20:24:50 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2006/12/19/google-maps-has-become-a-real-trip-planner/#comment-1086 Is it really ~that~ hard for Google to find the optimized route for me rather than me having to shuffle the routes? That would be of real value. Like I really want to sit there trying every permutation until voila, I magically found the shortest/fastest route. Try harder. Is it really ~that~ hard for Google to find the optimized route for me rather than me having to shuffle the routes? That would be of real value. Like I really want to sit there trying every permutation until voila, I magically found the shortest/fastest route. Try harder.

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