The KML Handbook

I just noticed the "The KML Handbook: Geographic Visualization for the Web" by Josie Wernecke is out on Safari Rough Cuts. It looks like it has some interesting tips, not really a programming book per se, more of an expanded version of Google's documentation.  The subtitle is interesting to me- "for the Web".  A couple of years ago it would have just been for Google Earth, but KML is on its way to becoming the new shapefile.  Next I want JSON.

GE timeline...

Yes, this update is very cool. Three lines of code added to my little Ruby application with XML builder to support it:

xml.TimeStamp do
  xml.when(event_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
end

gets added to every xml.Placemark do

makes:

<TimeStamp>
  <when>2006-08-28</when>
</TimeStamp>

Which gives you a pretty floating toolbar...
that animates your map view. This was in the old enterprise client, but a little buggy and nowhere near as pretty. In a word...wow!