Chapter 1. Why Map with Drupal
Drupal powers over 1% of the Internet, more than one million websites. Over a quarter of adult Americans use mobile or social location-based services such as Google Maps, Weather lookups, and restaurant searches (see Pew Internet). As location becomes a core part of what users expect from websites and mobile devices, Drupal gives you the tools to create a website that meets these demands. Drupal’s strength is in creating interactions between mapping data and all the other sorts of data (e.g., restaurant reviews, business locations, user locations, voting districts).
Chapters 1 and 2 focus on the theory of maps, cartography, and considerations of mapping in general. A well-designed and well-thought-out map can increase the usefulness and usability of a web application. At the same time, a cumbersome, badly devised map can frustrate users and drive them away from your site. These first two chapters will not instruct you in the technical abilities that you need to get maps on your Drupal site. Instead, and more importantly, they will help you think about the maps you are creating, what they are for, and what you expect the user to get out of them. If you just want to start making maps with Drupal, and you know exactly what maps you need, skip ahead to Chapter 3, but it is worth reading these introductory chapters and understanding your role as map maker.
Chapter 1 introduces mapping, specifically web mapping, and why you may want to make maps with Drupal. ...