Page Comparison

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1. Google Maps (and other web-based map services like MapQuest, MapBlast!...may it rest in peace, and of course Microsoft's also-ran Bing Maps and Bing Streetside) is a geospatial tools, obviously! I'd be remiss if we never touched on Google Maps or something in this category. In fact, web-based services have two big advantage over client-side tools such as Google Earth: You don't need to download and install software, and the datasets live on the web...so again, no need to worry about downloading or otherwise managing data on your own devices. 
2. As I've mentioned, Google Earth won't be around forever. Google Maps, however, will be...in one form or another. So: In the hopes of not teaching dead technologies, I need to include Google Maps and not just Google Earth. 
3. Google Earth and Google Maps share a data structure.
   1. You can flip the Google Maps street map into a satellite image that looks mighty familiar (since it's from the same dataset that Google Earth uses!)
   2. You can import a KML or KMZ file into Google Maps and get the same data
   3. You can build a KML or KMZ file in Google Maps, export it, and open it in Google Earth

 OK, so if Google Maps is so cool, why do I take up valuable class time with Google Earth?