As I was stumbling the web, I came across Google maps. Of course this was not the first time but this was a bit different. I quickly downloaded Google Earth and I started my globe trotting. I realised that this was something I could work on when I needed a break from C/AL programming

C/AL is Client/Application Language. It is used in customizing Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formely Navision/Attain).

Navigating Google Earth, I realised that Zimbabwe is virtually blank, save for some few isolated markers on some Hotels.

Keep watching this space for updates on my exploits in the Google domain.

Google Maps was released in beta on February 7, 2005. The draggable map interface created a sensation. It was a “Wizard of Oz / Technicolor” moment for most web users. Who knew that a web application could be that smooth and responsive? For that matter, who knew that you could even do such a thing in a web browser?

On February 18, 2005, Jesse James Garrett of Adaptive Path publisheda seminal article that gave a name to this new style of web development: Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications. Suddenly, Google Maps wasn’t simply a revolutionary mapping application; it became the poster-child for all web applications. Tim O’Reilly (founder of O’Reilly Media, Inc.) coined another phrase, “Web 2.0”, that helped further define the difference between how web applications used to behave versus the new “Google Maps” way.

On June 29, 2005, Google released version 1 of their Mapping API. This allowed us to move from being simply consumers of the maps to actual producers. (Presumably, it’s the reason you’re reading this book right now.)

On April 3, 2006, Google released version 2 of the Mapping API. While this new version brought many exciting new features to the table (increased zoom levels, additional map controls, and the ability to overlay your own imagery on the map), it also broke compatibility with the previous version.

Excerpt from:"Google Maps API, V2" by Scott Davies