Comments on: iBegin Geocoder: Soft Launch http://www.techsoapbox.com/ibegin-geocoder-soft-launch/ Soapboxing every damn day Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:07:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ahmed http://www.techsoapbox.com/ibegin-geocoder-soft-launch/#comment-6167 Ahmed Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:47:52 +0000 http://www.techsoapbox.com/ibegin-geocoder-soft-launch/#comment-6167 It is possible that the nearest intersection is also the nearest major intersection. What the system does (when doing reverse geocoding is) is figure out the closest intersection (in this case Sussex and MacKay). Afterwards it sort of spreads out, going over intersections close by, and assigning a score on how probable it is that this is the nearest major intersection. After it completes the radial search, it lists the intersection with the highest score - in this case, Sussex and MacKay again. I will say that this isn't perfect - there is no simple way of knowing if a road is major or not. You can see at my former residence: http://geocoder.ibegin.com/geolive.php?latitude=43.671849&longitude=-79.388433&cross=1&sup=1 - while Google Maps doesn't have Davenport displayed as a major road, most denizens of Toronto do know where Davenport and Yonge meet. It is in-exact, and we decided it is better to include it than not to. It is possible that the nearest intersection is also the nearest major intersection.

What the system does (when doing reverse geocoding is) is figure out the closest intersection (in this case Sussex and MacKay). Afterwards it sort of spreads out, going over intersections close by, and assigning a score on how probable it is that this is the nearest major intersection. After it completes the radial search, it lists the intersection with the highest score - in this case, Sussex and MacKay again.

I will say that this isn’t perfect - there is no simple way of knowing if a road is major or not. You can see at my former residence: http://geocoder.ibegin.com/geolive.php?latitude=43.671849&longitude=-79.388433&cross=1&sup=1 - while Google Maps doesn’t have Davenport displayed as a major road, most denizens of Toronto do know where Davenport and Yonge meet.

It is in-exact, and we decided it is better to include it than not to.

]]> By: Matt http://www.techsoapbox.com/ibegin-geocoder-soft-launch/#comment-6165 Matt Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:22:55 +0000 http://www.techsoapbox.com/ibegin-geocoder-soft-launch/#comment-6165 I'm thrilled that iBegin is going to be doing geocoding. It seems to fit well with the rest of the offerings. I'm interested in the calculation method for the nearest intersection vs. major intersection. When looking up 24 Sussex, the two have different values but list the same intersection. Looks like a bug. --------------------------- Geocoding Results Geocoding for Latitude: 45.443799 Longitude: -75.693272 Nearest Intersection: Street 1: Sussex DR Street 2: MacKay ST Distance: 16 meters Nearest Major Intersection: Street 1: Sussex DR Street 2: MacKay ST Distance: 19 meters I’m thrilled that iBegin is going to be doing geocoding. It seems to fit well with the rest of the offerings.

I’m interested in the calculation method for the nearest intersection vs. major intersection. When looking up 24 Sussex, the two have different values but list the same intersection. Looks like a bug.

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Geocoding Results
Geocoding for
Latitude: 45.443799
Longitude: -75.693272

Nearest Intersection:
Street 1: Sussex DR
Street 2: MacKay ST
Distance: 16 meters

Nearest Major Intersection:
Street 1: Sussex DR
Street 2: MacKay ST
Distance: 19 meters

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