Lab 2A: Participating in Google Maps

View Los Angeles Art Galleries in a larger map

I decided to make a map of art galleries in Los Angeles. I like visiting galleries, but I'm always overwhelmed by the amount of them in LA. So, I decided to use this class project to organize and locate them for myself. Most relevant galleries are located in 3 main clusters: Culver, Chinatown, and Downtown.

I think neogeography is a very exciting development for both geography, and the internet in general. To me, neogeography contains a lot of exciting potential to make insider knowledge more accessible. For example, I use Yelp to help me pick restaurants. This web 2.0 site allows users to submit reviews of all types of businesses, and one can then view them based on geographic location. It's a great way to see what's good in your neighborhood. I am thus able to benefit from the local expertise of many people. When I think about my own knowledge of Los Angeles, it is clear to me that a good deal of it comes from neogeography; where would I be without Google Maps, Yelp, and the Metro trip planner? Probably very, very lost.

Maybe I am naive, but the pitfalls of neogeography seem few. I am not too concerned with "my info getting out" on the net, since I can control what I put out there. I COULD see a problem if my favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant gets a lot of good reviews and becomes too crowded, though. But overall I think the sharing of local knowledge will help eliminate bad businesses, and perhaps discourage elitism among Angelenos "in the know," as everyone gains access to insider knowledge.