The more I look for details about how Google Maps was implemented, the more interesting stuff I find out.
The latest example is the fact that Google based its mapping service on Telecontar’s Drill Down Server, a highly scalable geospatial application aimed at companies that have the skills and resources to customize it. Although Ask Jeeves, Rand McNally, and Yahoo! Maps all reportedly use the same underlying GIS server, it’s Google’s aggressive use of DHTML and XML combined with data from both NAVTEQ and TeleAtlas that give Google Maps its unique look and feel. [ via Jon Udell’s Weblog ]