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Last week saw the introduction of a host of new mapping tools and features from a number of companies gathered at the [Where 2.0 conference][1]. However, for many users even the basics of adding a Google map to their site can be a serious headache, fortunately there's an easier way -- [GMapEZ][2].
As one who abhors curly braces, the Javascript necessary to add Google Maps to my site is not only confusing, but quite challenging -- the Google Maps API is robust, but the flip side of that full-featured goodness is a lot of additional complexity.
Somewhere between beating my head against the wall and abandoning all hope, I stumbled across GMapEZ, a small Javascript library that makes adding a Google map to your site a simple as writing a few lines of HTML.
GMapEZ is a Javascript routine that parses some specially formated HTML and then handles converting that information into a Google map complete with markers, controls and a number of other options.
GMapEZ doesn't handle the entire Google Maps API, but for the basics of adding markers and showing a location, I don't know of an easier option.
The script is the brain child of Chris Houser and is available for free, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Houser even provides a cut-and-paste link to the file on his server, though I went ahead and copied it over to my own since, where I come from, hot-linking is frowned upon.
Note that you'll still need to have a Google Maps API key, but otherwise, even your mom could embed maps with GMapEZ.
[1]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/where20/index.html "Compiler Where 2.0 coverage"
[2]: http://n01se.net/chouser/gmapez/ "GMapEZ: Google Maps the easy way."
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