Google Maps gains easy Linux install
Darko on May 6th, 2008
Ubuntu, Linspire, and Freespire users can now install “Google Earth” with a single click, says Linspire. The desktop Linux distributor has added support for the free mapping application to its CNR (”click-n-run”) installer, a user-friendly tool currently beta-testing for a wide variety of desktop Linux distributions.
Linspire said the version of Google Earth that CNR supports will work with Ubuntu 7.04 and 7.10 (32-bit), Linspire 6.0, and Freespire 2.0. Presumably, it will also support Ubuntu’s Hardy Heron release scheduled for tomorrow, as Linspire has promised CNR support for that release.
Google Earth aims to provide a “globe inside your PC,” according to Linspire. It lets users browse maps of roads, dining establishments, schools, railroads, stadiums, as well as terrain, borders, and geographical features. Users can even build maps of their own by creating KML (keyhole markup language) overlays. Users can also import data from supported GPS devices, and use that data to create maps.
Other Google Earth features touted by Linspire include:
Web-based map services
Local search with business listings and driving directions
Tilt, zoom, and rotate tools
Virtual “Play” button gives virtual helicopter rides over a given route
3-D buildings
Placemarks save geographic data for easy return to favorites
Measure Tool helps users to get detail on a particular distance
Built using Trolltech’s Qt framework for cross-platform application development, Google Earth is also available for Windows and Macintosh PCs. More details may be available on Linspire’s CNR.com website, here.
CNR is a cornerstone of the Linspire (formerly Lindows) desktop. The company began beta-testing a free version of the user-friendly, “single-click” installer last December.
