Timeline App 3: Map Details

Timeline 1
Timeline 2
Timeline 3: Map
Timeline 4
Timeline 5: Event Granulation 

 

Perhaps understated is the globe/map feature of the timeline application.

Not Google Earth

The map feature might look a lot like Google Earth upon first impression. However there are a lot of features that will separate the timeline map from Google Earth.

3D and 2D Map 'Projections'

The 3D globe can also switch to various alternative 2D views, called projections.

The 3D globe view, as well as these various types of projections, would be able to pan infinitely when appropriate (e.g. snapping to longitudinal presets). This is an obvious yet under-utilized advantage of being a programmatic map versus a paper map, even in 2D.

In addition, the timeline 3D globe might also snap to preset longitudes and lattitudes for the sake of usability and order. The reality of Google Earth is that it is unwieldy when trying to grab it an turn it. It proves to be more of a novelty rather than enhancing usability.

Geographic Areas as Search Parameters

Unlike Google Maps, users would be able to search for information that pertains to one or more countries, cities, states, or a custom-outlined areas.

• one area and another area[s]
• that is, you are searching for events, items, people, etc. that effected, or took place in both areas
• one area or another area[s]
• that is, you are searching for events, items, people, etc. that could have existed in one area 'or' another area. 

Geographic Area Selection Tools

In selecting geographic areas as search parameters, various methods could be used:

• circle tool
• freehand tool 
• effectively, a shift-select tool
• effectively, a ctrl-select tool
• exact region selected
• fuzzy area for general region
• area ranges of a given location
• exact region by human-defined, formal names and boundaries
• search results will only apply to chosen formal titles and formal boundaries
• exact region, universal across all time, regardless of human-defined, formal names and boundaries.
• search results will apply to former titles and boundaries anywhere in a given time period

Changing Geography with Time

How many times do you hear about the changing size of the Mississippi from early US history, artificial lakes, or even larger bodies of water altering from ancient times? How many times do you hear about boundary changes of US States after the Civil War, or countries' names from ancient history?

These types of changes should all take place on the map, given that a specific year is filtered. If changes are tentative guesses of what boundaries might have been for instance, then there should be a way of expressing tentative guesses on the map. (e.g. perhaps defining ranges of possibility, and randomly placing dotted lines each time it is rendered, within those ranges as not to get attached to one version.)