There are numerous reports that the economy is improving. Certain indicators have been growing for months, but now it looks like employment rates are starting to improve as well [CRN]. 10:57:12 AM    comment []  

A few weeks ago, I was telling some friends of mine that MapQuest map directions where made possible by people actually driving around and inputting data about intersections, turns, etc. into their database. I was ridiculed at the time for believing in something so "obviously" untrue. It turns out I was right afterall.

TechTV has an interesting story about the company that builds the mapping technology behind popular map services like Mapquest. The company, Navigation Technologies, is decidedly low-tech in its approach to making its maps: two people in a car drive around endlessly, inputting street information and landmarks into databases. Navtech's map databases are used in everything from Garmin GPS units to Alpine in-dash auto navigation systems. So next time you turn the wrong way down a one-way street, know that there are real people behind the controls [Slashdot].

I know it seems unlikely, but it isn't hard to prioritize main roads over lesser traveled roads. As you go, filling in more and more road and intersection data, the quality of the directions provided by the automated system should improve. In the mean time, the system is able to fill in missing data with less perfect directions from it's less accurate map data. 10:38:12 AM    comment []