[OT] Map of email origins to Python list

[Steve Holden]

Claire McLister wrote:
>   We've been working with Google Maps, and have created a web service to 
> map origins of emails to a group. As a trial, we've developed a map of 
> emails to this group at:
> 
>   http://www.zeesource.net/maps/map.do?group=668
> 
>   This represents emails sent to the group since October 27.
> 
>   Would like to hear what you think of it.
> 
>   Thanks for listening.
> 
Mostly I wonder what the point is. For example, given my own somewhat 
nomadic life I wondered what location has been used to map my own 
contributions.

Examination of the maps source reveals you used the code

	_m = createMarker(new GPoint(-82.775497, 40.3736),
	                 'red', "<table width='300px'><tr><th colspan='2' 
align='middle'>Ohio, United States</th></tr><tr><th colspan='2' 
align='left'><a title='click to change' 
href='editform.do?group=668&item=21364'>s... at holdenweb.com</a></th></tr></table>");
         _m.city = '';
         _m.country = 'United States';
	_m.name = ' s... at holdenweb.com';
	marar.push(_m);

to generate my reference. This has never been correct (I am not sure 
I've ever been to Ohio) and it certainly isn't now (since I moved 
continents recently).

Nonetheless I'm sure that before long these maps will be used to prove 
some spurious facts about newsgroup readership to gullible members of 
the business community.

If I've got you wrong then please forgive my slight hostility, but I am 
particularly suspicious of the "click to change" functionality. You are 
clearly expecting people to update their locations, and other 
information that might be related to their domains, and I can't help 
wondering what purposes that information is intended for.

Finally, considering email address from domains like "verizon.net", 
"aol.com" and other large ISPs I can't see that you have a chance in 
hell of extracting useful demographics. Which all leads me back to 
"what's the point?" - just because you can?

regards
  Steve
-- 
Steve Holden       +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC                     www.holdenweb.com
PyCon TX 2006                  www.python.org/pycon/