France unveils national rival to Google Earth

Chirac says site, which lets people see detailed satellite images of country, will help put France at tech's cutting edge.

The story "France unveils national rival to Google Earth" published June 23, 2006 at 9:23 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[User Information Private]

Who needs privacy anyway

I'm sorry, but I don't like having my house viewable to every person in the world. The county already uses this stuff to snoop on citizens (i.e. oh you made a playhouse for the kids, that's a storage unit, that will raise your property tax by X). Call me paranoid, but I don't trust the gov let alone every person on the planet.

[ebrandel]

Why?

What's the point? The private sector is already providing this for free. Why waste tax dollars and why does Chirac feel that France needs to compete with google? I just don't get it.

NASA does it, too

"The private sector is already providing this for free. Why waste tax
dollars and why does Chirac feel that France needs to compete with
google?"

Umm... NASA has had Worldwind out for over a year. It's IMHO still
much better in many ways than the commercial versions that are
coming out. Free, too. Your tax dollars at work.

[mystereojones]

That crazy Chirac guy

Is this guy kidding? All the things going on in the world and he's worried about a more detailed aerial view of France?