One for all, all for one. The combination of Google Maps, Wikipedia, and Wikiwix is what the firm Linterweb brings you with Atlas.
Atlas uses Wikiwix, the semantic search engine programmed by Linterweb, to enhance Google Maps with resources extracted from Wikipedia, the well known on-line encyclopaedia.
Whether you use it for browsing around Google Maps, or for preparing for your business or pleasure visit, you’ll find out that Atlas is a very worthy companion and figure out two main ways to use its functionality.
Let’s assume, for instance, that you perform on Wikiwix a search on Rouen, a city in Normandy, in France. Wikiwix sends you back a list of results ranked according to their estimated relevance. In our example, the result at the top of the list is the link to the English language article about Rouen. For each result, Wikiwix provides you some more related information (in particular, Associated categories, Close places, Map). By clicking on Map, you’re then directed to the so called Atlas functionality of Wikiwix: a Google map of Rouen appears and you will notice some blue and red location pins, also called markers. If you click on one of the pins, a small window opens, containing additional Wikipedia information about the location. For instance, in our example, if you click on the red marker in the middle of the map of Rouen, the small window will display information about Rouen stemming from the Wikipedia, as well as a thumbnail picture.
You can also access this enhanced map by going directly to Atlas and entering a place name into the search box.
Atlas, as well as Wikiwix, are available in many languages.
Just give it a try, and please don’t hesitate to send us your feedback, it is valued and will be considered as we work to improve Atlas.
Thanks in advance, Matthieu.