Mapping Hacks

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Preface

weapon. Among people who write code, though, the term hack refers to a

“quick-and-dirty” solution to a problem, or a clever way to get something

done. And the term hacker is taken very much as a compliment, referring to

someone as being creative, having the technical chops to get things done.

The Hacks series is an attempt to reclaim the word, document the good

ways people are hacking, and pass the hacker ethic of creative participation

on to the uninitiated. Seeing how others approach systems and problems is

often the quickest way to learn about a new technology.

Maps Tell Stories

Maps are a unique combination of the extremely simple and the extremely

complex. Most people are comfortable reading paper maps and perhaps at

least drawing sketches of travel directions for friends. Computerized maps

are, on the other hand, still a relative novelty, if only because until recently,

few people had access to the computing power or storage space needed to

do basic cartography or geographic analysis. Historically, this was due to the

amount of data and processing typically involved in telling detailed stories

about the world. In turn, the complexities of cartography have made it the

preserve of a talented and select few. Recently, however, technology has

conspired in several ways—portable electronic devices, the Internet, the

growing culture of free software—to make it possible to obtain useful, ...