Bring Back Classic Google Maps Campaign

Last Updated: December 24, 2016

by Elizabeth Kricfalusi, Tech for Luddites

This campaign is now closed. More Google Maps-related posts are available on the Maps category page.

Filed Under: Google, Google Maps

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Comments

Butch says
July 7, 2015 at 3:53 pm

New Google maps is not very user friendly . I loved Classic Google maps . I hate Bing ,but is’s better than New Google maps . PLEASE BRING BACK CLASSIC GOOGLE MAPS!!!
Reply
Elizabeth Kricfalusi says
July 7, 2015 at 3:40 pm

Hey everybody.
I’m putting together a new Special Section on Online Mapping. It still has info about the Classic Maps campaign, but also includes links to alternative sites, news and updates about mapping in general and other resources. It’s a work in progress as I work my way back through all the comments previously submitted to find more things to add to it, but I think it’s in good enough shape to share now.
techforluddites.com/maps
If you have suggestions of things you’d like to see added, post them here or shoot me an email.
Thanks!
– Elizabeth
Reply
- Keith says
  July 8, 2015 at 3:41 pm
  
  Excellent page! Thank you very much, Elizabeth 🙂
  I also see the petition is inching ever so slowly towards the 15 000 mark.
  Reply
  - Elizabeth Kricfalusi says
    July 8, 2015 at 9:19 pm
    
    Yes, “slowly” is the key word. 🙂 But I have a few more ideas up my sleeve, so stay tuned… 🙂
    And you’re welcome! – Elizabeth
    Reply
    - Keith says
      July 9, 2015 at 1:11 am
      
      Great!
      I’m afraid my idea for generating a “snowball effect” didn’t really seem to work. Oh well! Just hope it helped (and is helping) create SOME more signatures.
      Reply
C P says
July 6, 2015 at 11:17 pm

GOOGLE MAPS HAS COMMITTED SUICIDE .. !!!!
AND A RETARDED GOOGLE FAMILY MEMBER ….
BY THE NAME OF «GOOGLE CRAPS» IS TRYING …..
TO RUN THE SHOW NOW, AND THINKS (!!) IT IS THE VERY
BEST OF THE BEST EVEN THOUGH THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
TELL «IT» THAT THE NEW AND «IMPROVED» GOOGLE CRAPS IS
TOTALLY INSANE ……..
WE’RE AWAITING THE NEWS MOMENTARILY THAT GOOGLE CRAPS
WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE «FUNNY FARM» VERY SOON ALONG WITH
THE REST OF THE GOOGLE FAMILY ……. FOLKS … IT HAS «GOOGLED OUT» …..
THESE ARE MY SARCASTIC REMARKS …. REFLECTING MY FRUSTRATION IN LIGHT OF THE INSANE
AND ABSOLUTE ARROGANCE PLUS IGNORANCE GOOGLE DISPLAYS TOWARDS THEIR USERS .. OR ..
SHOULD I SAY (EX)-USERS ….. ??!!??
… AND MY HAT GOES OFF TO YOU, ELIZABETH, AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO FIGHT THIS INSANITY …
… ALSO .. THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO MY PROBLEM RECEIVING POSTS FROM YOU …
IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING NOW … 🙂
Reply
- Brian Williams says
  July 7, 2015 at 3:40 am
  
  C P – COULD YOU HAVE A LOOK FOR THE “CAPS LOCK” KEY?
  Reply
  - C P says
    July 7, 2015 at 9:07 am
    
    SORRY … MY KEYBOARD DOESN’T HAVE ONE …
    BESIDES … MY MESSAGE CAME THROUGH CLEARLY … OR??
    Reply
    - Brian Williams says
      July 7, 2015 at 11:40 am
      
      I’ve put my ear plugs in…
      Reply
      - C P says
        July 7, 2015 at 10:11 pm
        
        LISTEN GUYS .. DROP IT … OKAY??!!??
        I AM DISABLED AND USE A SPECIAL KEYBOARD
        UTILIZING A TAP STICK WITH MY MOUTH.
        THAT’S A HUGE EFFORT FOR ME AS IS ….
        I DON’T NEED YOUR SNITE REMARKS …
        I’M HERE TO GET A MESSAGE OUT AND
        MAKE MY POINT … COMPRENDE?
        THAT’S WHAT COUNTS!!!
        WHAT’S ALL THIS ABOUT «SHOUTING» … IN EARLIER DAYS
        THERE WERE NO LOWER CASE CHARACTERS TO BE FOUND
        ON ANY COMPUTERS EITHER … SO … JUST DROP YOUR SILLINESS.
        THANK YOU …
      - Brian Williams says
        July 8, 2015 at 6:44 am
        
        Hey C P.
        I apologise – with reservation. If you had made it clear that you were using a disabled keyboard from the outset, I would not have been so crass.
        It is not unknown for people to use caps locks for continual emphasis and it can get a bit annoying as, nowadays, it resembles shouting.
        I do indeed remember all caps keyboards, but that was back in 1970s! People of the age to remember them I would suggest represent the minority of internet users today (though not perhaps on a “Luddite” board 🙂 )
        I hope that clears up the misunderstanding. Apologies again.
        P.S. Maybe, if your system allows it, a signature at the bottom with a comment such as “using restricted alphabet keyboard” or some such might prevent a recurrence with some other tetchy soul.
      - C P says
        July 8, 2015 at 7:09 am
        
        HEY BRIAN … APOLOGY ACCEPTED …
William Dwyer says
July 4, 2015 at 11:12 pm

Yes, Bing maps are close to Google Classic, but the directions for public transit aren’t as good. I did a comparison based on information that I kept from Google Maps when they were still working, and while Bing Maps does give you recommendations for public transit, the information is not as as efficient or as versatile. Nothing really compares to the classic Google maps. God, how I miss them!
Reply
Dagon says
July 4, 2015 at 1:23 pm

What is the url of the print window that opens in classic google maps? Using the Wayback Machine makes me able to access the maps but I still can’t find the print window.
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Brian Williams says
July 4, 2015 at 10:52 am

I’ve thought about this and the answer is clear. Google want to present themselves as a better alternative to Windows. They have Android Tablets and Chromebooks. If they left a BETTER version of Google Maps, one that can ONLY be used with a mouse and keyboard, effectively, on the PC, then that gives Google users a reason to STAY with their Windows PCs.
If, on the other hand, the maps experience on a PC is at LEAST as sh*tty as it is on Android, then that works in their favour. We don’t PAY them for our use of Maps. Those of us who hate the NEW Maps will hate advertising too so use an Ad blocker. If we use Androids, there’s a better chance that we’ll have to see their goddamn adverts.
Jeez, I really hate those guys. (Just like Indy hated Nazis, and for similar reasons).
Reply
Brian says
July 4, 2015 at 8:50 am

Does everyone else have as much trouble with the current street view as I do?
Familiar street corners are hard to recognize. The older views were a wonder of modern technology while the new ones are pretty useless.
Reply
- laura says
  July 9, 2015 at 6:02 am
  
  The API has changed so that 100% of the map is not visible in street view anymore – whether you are in Lite mode or full street view or any of the now numerous sites providing a version of street view. There are V-shapes that jump forward so smoothness is gone, and it is often impossible to stop the view at a precise point. Moving ‘manually’ holding your left button down and sliding with your right makes things smoother and possible to see corners. But not always.
  Reply
Sappy says
July 4, 2015 at 3:10 am

I found recently an old link,for me its the best alternative at this moment!
https://www.instantstreetview.com/
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- Jon says
  July 9, 2015 at 8:19 am
  
  That doesn’t work for me, Sappy.
  No split screen, so I can’t walk or drive a route in Street View and see where I’m going on the map at the same time, as I could with Classic Google Maps. And that site’s little inset map is no better than on the new Google Maps.
  Also, I find it very disconcerting that a straight road is deformed into a 90° bend at the point where you stand!! If you look up a straight road, then turn to view the building you’re alongside, there’s a massive fisheye effect, and the road is confusingly bent into a V.
  Reply
- Elizabeth Kricfalusi says
  July 24, 2015 at 5:11 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing this, Sappy. Different resources will work well for different people.
  I finally had a chance to add the link to the Online Mapping page, techforluddites.com/maps.
  – Elizabeth
  Reply
UgaDog says
July 3, 2015 at 10:58 am

I guess it’s Bing maps for the time being. Google doesn’t seem to be responding. Unfortunate that it has come to this, but Bing is surprisingly closer to ‘classic’ google maps than I had realized. It’s quick and gets the job done. I miss streetview of course.
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- UgaDog says
  July 9, 2015 at 5:14 pm
  
  Google Mapmaker link on this page is great also! Using it mostly on the computer. Hope it stays live. Looks like having to print with Bing though.
  Reply
Dave says
July 3, 2015 at 4:46 am

please try using falk.de
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- Jon says
  July 9, 2015 at 9:18 am
  
  That site has some very interesting quick-change options for different map sources, Dave. First time I’ve ever seen that.
  But it has no split screen for simultaneous Street View + Map. That’s the feature of Classic Google Maps that I miss the most.
  For me, Barry Hunter’s http://gokml.net/maps# is still the winner. It has most of the features of Classic Google Maps, and even some useful additional display options (split screen size and position).
  Reply
- Elizabeth Kricfalusi says
  July 24, 2015 at 5:16 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing this, Dave.
  I finally had a chance to add the link to the Online Mapping page, techforluddites.com/maps.
  – Elizabeth
  Reply