61 Bizarre And Funny Snapshots Found On Google Maps (New Pics)

Page was impressed but had no interest in desktop software.

“We really like the web,” he told the Rasmussen brothers, implying Google was only interested if the map features worked in the web browser.

The Where 2 team scrambled together a web version of their program using a little-known set of web development techniques known as Ajax, short for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a web language. It meant an already loaded webpage could fetch new data – in other words, update itself – without needing to refresh the entire page.

Instead of loading a large map image, the webpage would load multiple smaller map tiles and display them as needed. It gave the sense of dynamic, frictionless motion you now experience on all online mapping platforms.

The demo was a hit. Google hired the Where 2 team and subsequently bought their intellectual property for an undisclosed price.

“Google was very good at picking up good teams at very low prices because there was no competition in the acquisition space at that time,” says Ma.

The Where 2 sale price has never been revealed, but there are clues in Google’s 2004 annual report: it disclosed that US$66m had been outlaid for four small acquisitions, including Where 2, in a combination of cash, future performance bonuses, shares, and options. That would have been split between multiple owners.

On 7 June 2004, the Where 2 crew turned up for work as Google employees at the company’s Sydney office, which at that time only comprised six salespeople. Eight months later, Google Maps debuted.

If you want to see more ridiculous things that have made their way onto the platform, check out these 60 Amusing Screenshots People Just Had To Take While Looking Up Google Maps.