This is something that has bugged me or a while.
I go to add a comment or an identification, then it occurs to me that the location might be important. But! the map cannot now be seen. The screen clipping shows an example: the map reappears if I reload the page: but not until.
Yes I find that annoying as well but I think the previous programmers deliberately did this, possibly in an attempt at sligthly reducing the high cost of google maps that we have to pay each month.
This has been with us for a while
You are looking for Nearly mown down | Observation | UK and Ireland | iSpot Nature (#new) when working in an Observation. It is generated every time you Reply (not add Comment). the process simply removes the Location Map.
I overcome the difficulties by opening another Tab to the same Observation.
If you are in the middle of a comment then copy the text and canel comment.
Then remove (#new) from the URL and refresh. Boring?
Yes! But I have just discovered a better solution, see my comment RE:ply in the Observation
I have just learned to live with it and have reduced my ‘reply’ clicks. If you look back you will see I often make a new Comment (rather than reply).
Allied to this, is the annoying feature of adding RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE: etc to REplies. I often clear those damned things in my replies.
Interestingly if you click on the link above (to y’r Ob) it opens WITH the map and #new in address bar - we could meet there for a drink - the iSpot bar!
“we could meet there for a drink - the iSpot bar!”
I’m trying to imagine what it would look like…
Filled with ‘Likely’ people reading old dictionaries
1 Like
Might be this. (Along with a few random characters *^&%^~@>: to keep the forum happy.)
I wonder what would be involved in iSpot moving to using one of the open mapping standards instead of Google Maps. Probably a lot of programming in the short term (which costs) but it might save money on the Google licence.
Unfortunately this is not possible. Since before iSpot started I had made the very suggestion you mention here but to allow a much wider range of basemaps (as Google did not charge at that stage), unfortunately others have always vetoed the suggestion.
On the specific Google maps issue, only Google and Microsoft (and possibly Russian and Chinese equivalents) have the very detailed aerial imagery and streetview covering the globe. The opensource mapping do not have this and if you want to be precise about where your observation is and to enable others to look at the particular tree or habitat then you do need the best aerial imagery and streetview.
I would HATE to lose the current Location facility in iSpot. i sometimes locate to within a metre using the SatView. Or using the map here https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6161502 This is a site that uses OS but refers to Google Imagery as an optional layer
Play with the map for a while (correct to 1m). Then change to Interactive Map and play with layers.
I have suggested before that we should collaborate with Geograph.
Can you find more info about Geograph, beyond wiki pages and their home page, as when I try the links don’t work. It mentions ‘we’ but never says who or where.
You didn’t click on my link - I can tell!