# GMaps, buses, open apis


It´s already been noted by for exampel Google and Flickr that opening
up your api (the interface to your website) and allowing other
programmes / webpages to interact with your data can be hugely positive
in creating a community, that can come up with ideas that you never
dreamt of. See for example the [Flickr tools
collection](http://pchere.blogspot.com/2005/03/great-flickr-tools-collection.html),
where [The Flickr Album](http://www.flickralbum.com/) is pretty
impressive, as is [this color picker](http://krazydad.com/colrpickr/).
[Google Maps](http://maps.google.com) were hacked early on, and some
very interesting uses came up, for example [Jon Udell´s
screencast](http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/gems/gmap2_flash.html)
([more ideas
here)](http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,67514,00.html).

Ever since the map came online, I´ve wanted more coverage for public
transit (and how about calculating the best way to go by bicycle from A
to B?) Anyway, [the Bus Monster](http://www.busmonster.com/) which
covers Seattle is an awesome combination of Google maps, and transit and
traffic information. It integrates traffic cameras, route information, …
And it´s nicely done. I really hope Google won´t ask them to take it
down, but rather hire this guy, and have him develop this for all their
cities (or at least Toronto, who lacks something even rudimental… Their
[transit homepages](http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/) are horribly
designed and do not have even a rudimental route finder. Shame!)

Stian