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TETENAL · Aug 9, 2007, 10:47 AM

With a 6 months delay Hamburg is now finally available on Google Earth in 3D! It's kind of slow to load and it taxes your computer a lot, but with every building of the city fully textured it is extremely cool to look at. Here's one example view:

If you can find cooler places in Hamburg, post a screenshot.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 11:02 AM

The coolest places aren't 3D-mapped yet. (they've only done the city center, so far.)

It's funny how they modeled the base of the Bismarck memorial, but then left off the actual statue.

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 11:08 AM

Hey! That's my city!

I am too lazy to download the software but here is a nice shot of the Landungsbrücken. I live not too far away from there. I'm located in Sülldorf, next to Blankenese. I assume you know where that is in case you live or have been here.

Nice shot of Blankenese, close to where I live, though not GoogleEarth:

TETENAL · Aug 9, 2007, 11:09 AM

Wasn't there some dislike towards Bismarck in Hamburg? I seem to remember the guide saying something to that effect when I was riding the sight-seeing bus. He was telling a lot of nonsense though, so it might have been wrong.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 11:19 AM

That was Hitler.

Faust, I live right across from you.

TETENAL · Aug 9, 2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by analogika

That was Hitler.

It definitely wasn't Hitler the guy was talking about. I'm sure it would have caught my attention if Hamburg had a Hitler-monument.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

It definitely wasn't Hitler the guy was talking about. I'm sure it would have caught my attention if Hamburg had a Hitler-monument.

I know. Hence the smiley.

Hamburg likes to project this self-image of being the city where Hitler was unpopular.

I'm not aware of any antagonism towards Bismarck, but I really don't know.

analogue SPRINKLES · Aug 9, 2007, 11:37 AM

my mom is from there so she will be tickled about this.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 01:00 PM

Your Mom's a Hamborger Deern?

Mastrap · Aug 9, 2007, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

I live not too far away from there. I'm located in Sülldorf, next to Blankenese.

I lived in Hamburg twice, both times for about two years. The first time was about 20 years ago, then again a couple of years ago between living in London and moving to Toronto. 20 years ago I lived in the Grindelviertel, the second time in Blankenese, on the Suelldorfer Kirchenweg.

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

I lived in Hamburg twice, both times for about two years. The first time was about 20 years ago, then again a couple of years ago between living in London and moving to Toronto. 20 years ago I lived in the Grindelviertel, the second time in Blankenese, on the Suelldorfer Kirchenweg.

Ha! That is very cool. I live about five minutes away from the Sülldorfer Kirchenweg.

It's a small world after all, isn't it?

analogue, what "Stadtviertel" are you located at?

analogue SPRINKLES · Aug 9, 2007, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

Ha! That is very cool. I live about five minutes away from the Sülldorfer Kirchenweg.

It's a small world after all, isn't it?

analogue, what "Stadtviertel" are you located at?

Actually I live in Toronto all my life. Close to Mastrap no less.

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

Actually I live in Toronto all my life. Close to Mastrap no less.

Sorry, I meant analogika.

Mastrap · Aug 9, 2007, 03:36 PM

Heh. We used to do our vegetable shopping on the Saturday market down in Blankenese. Very nice, but just a little too... chichi for me. I just wasn't posh enough to feel at home there. We had a neighbour call the fire brigade on us because we had a normal backyard barbecue (thankfully they thought that was hilarious) and I got stopped by the cops asking me to explain why my car had UK license plates, again they had (in all likelihood) been called by a neighbour. I also disliked the whole 'we would really prefer to be British' attitude, mostly because the version of the UK that was aspired to never existed in the first place.

After those experiences I was extremely glad when I was leaving again. analogika has been, probably correctly, pointing out that I might have liked Hamburg a whole lot better had I lived in a different part of town.

Mastrap · Aug 9, 2007, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

Actually I live in Toronto all my life. Close to Mastrap no less.

You're still up at Dundas West station, right? We've moved a little further east a while back, just west of Dundas and Brock. We could afford to rent in Roncies, but not to buy.

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

After those experiences I was extremely glad when I was leaving again. analogika has been, probably correctly, pointing out that I might have liked Hamburg a whole lot better had I lived in a different part of town.

Oh yes, I agree. The area is a bit uptight and relatively "uncool" and boring. Nice to look at but nothing like some of the more alternative or "hip" areas in Hamburg.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

Ha! That is very cool. I live about five minutes away from the Sülldorfer Kirchenweg.

It's a small world after all, isn't it?

analogue, what "Stadtviertel" are you located at?

Finkenwarder. About 150 m from the river.

We'd actually found a really cool place on Karstenstr. in Blankenese, with excellent provisions for a studio, but the landlady was a bit weird and spent several months before she finally settled on somebody else. The real estate agent was starting to get *really* pissed off with her.

So we moved here instead.

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Finkenwarder. About 150 m from the river.

We'd actually found a really cool place on Karstenstr. in Blankenese, with excellent provisions for a studio, but the landlady was a bit weird and spent several months before she finally settled on somebody else. The real estate agent was starting to get *really* pissed off with her.

So we moved here instead.

Aha. That's cool. We're also going to be moving next year most likely. Probably somewhere near the Alster or Hafencity.

Big Mac · Aug 9, 2007, 05:18 PM

OT: German schools appear to provide really excellent English educations because every German online seems to know English (at least in its written form) very well.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

Aha. That's cool. We're also going to be moving next year most likely. Probably somewhere near the Alster or Hafencity.

I don't think I'd want to live in the Hafencity for at least another ten to fifteen years...

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

I don't think I'd want to live in the Hafencity for at least another ten to fifteen years...

Hehehe. See, I'm 31 with the soul of a 60 year old. I fancy a large appartment somwhere between the 5th and 10th storey with a sexy view down the Elbe. Alternatively, I'm contemplating on moving to London, Oxford (my favourite English city) or Cornwall.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

Hehehe. See, I'm 31 with the soul of a 60 year old. I fancy a large appartment somwhere between the 5th and 10th storey with a sexy view down the Elbe.

Oh, I'd love that.

I'd just vastly prefer to do so in an actual *neighborhood* in the true sense.

They're not even going to be done BUILDING it until 2025. I'm extremely skeptical that it will start feeling at least somewhat organic until at least around that time.

Doofy · Aug 9, 2007, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

Alternatively, I'm contemplating on moving to London, Oxford (my favourite English city) or Cornwall.

Suggest dropping Cornwall from that list and maybe adding mid-Wales. From what I've seen of your personality so far, I reckon you'd hate actually living in Cornwall (it's a whole different place when the tourists have gone).

Faust · Aug 9, 2007, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Suggest dropping Cornwall from that list and maybe adding mid-Wales. From what I've seen of your personality so far, I reckon you'd hate actually living in Cornwall (it's a whole different place when the tourists have gone).

And my personality is?

Doofy · Aug 9, 2007, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

And my personality is?

...Of a certain political persuasion. Cornwall, by its geographic nature is quite isolated and insular - it's not too noticeable during the summer months when the tourists are there but it'll hit you like a brick during winter. If you're OK living in a place which is about 30 years behind the rest of Europe in its social attitudes, you'll do fine.

Seriously, I reckon you'd enjoy mid-Wales more.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

...Of a certain political persuasion. Cornwall, by its geographic nature is quite isolated and insular - it's not too noticeable during the summer months when the tourists are there but it'll hit you like a brick during winter. If you're OK living in a place which is about 30 years behind the rest of Europe in its social attitudes, you'll do fine.

Well she's living in Sülldorf now, which is to much of Hamburg as it sounds like Cornwall is to the rest of Europe...

analogue SPRINKLES · Aug 9, 2007, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

You're still up at Dundas West station, right? We've moved a little further east a while back, just west of Dundas and Brock. We could afford to rent in Roncies, but not to buy.

Two blocks east of keele and bloor. 1 block north of bloor.

Mastrap · Aug 9, 2007, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

...Of a certain political persuasion. Cornwall, by its geographic nature is quite isolated and insular - it's not too noticeable during the summer months when the tourists are there but it'll hit you like a brick during winter. If you're OK living in a place which is about 30 years behind the rest of Europe in its social attitudes, you'll do fine.

Seriously, I reckon you'd enjoy mid-Wales more.

Words of wisdom, that. Cornwall has two faces, the popular tourist place and the 'this is a local pub for local people' place. And rarely, if ever, the twain shall meet.

However, Wales = scary too. The valleys are deep and the sheep are many.

analogika · Aug 9, 2007, 09:58 PM

BTW:

Originally Posted by TETENAL

It's kind of slow to load and it taxes your computer a lot, but with every building of the city fully textured it is extremely cool to look at.

It took HOURS on my Core 2 Duo Blackbook, running at 97% CPU, to render the inner city.

Like, six hours.

When all buildings are displayed and textured, rotating the landscape is unfathomably slow.

Either something is wrong with my setup, or this 3D view is COMPLETELY useless.

Mastrap · Aug 9, 2007, 10:40 PM

Toronto is modelled too, but I gave up after 30 minutes. This is taking forever.

Mithras · Aug 9, 2007, 11:33 PM

And you wonder why people complain about integrated Intel 3D on the MacBook...

badidea · Aug 10, 2007, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Mithras

And you wonder why people complain about integrated Intel 3D on the MacBook...

I gave up after 5 min on an iMac 24", 7600GT - it was still at 2%!

moonmonkey · Aug 10, 2007, 09:05 PM

This is lovely

.

TETENAL · Aug 11, 2007, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Mithras

And you wonder why people complain about integrated Intel 3D on the MacBook...

It is slow because of the massive amount of data that has to be transferred over the internet. Not because of the graphics card in the MacBook.

analogika · Aug 11, 2007, 01:10 PM

No. It's done loading (100%) after about twenty seconds.

TETENAL · Aug 11, 2007, 01:29 PM

You are on your own Telekom backbone? Because for everybody else loading takes a lot longer. I get about the same loading speed as badidea. If I look at the whole inner city no more than 2 % is loaded after 5 minutes.

The 6 hours you had to wait were due to loading. The internal Intel graphics in the MacBook is slow, but it isn't that slow.

analogika · Aug 11, 2007, 02:10 PM

The symptom I saw was that a bunch of buildings that remained white for HOURS, while the "loaded" sign was at 100%.

I never claimed the graphics card had anything to do with it, btw.

Mastrap · Aug 11, 2007, 06:31 PM

The 'loaded' sign is per graphic, not for the whole thing. Every graphic is separately loaded and separately shown in it's own progress bar.

badidea · Aug 12, 2007, 10:24 AM

I have a 16MBit connection with an actual throughput of 1-1.5Mb/s! I don't think that this is really loading time!
Something is seriously wrong here!
At work I load 150.000 parts in 3D in about 45min on a computer that is probably slower than my iMac in this regard.
I can't believe that Google earth is more complex in 3D than an airplane!?