Enhancing TerraServer-USA with USAPhotoMaps

TerraServer-USA is a popular Web site that displays free aerial photographs and topographic maps of the U.S. that are produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
And although TerraServer-USA is a great Web-hosted mapping service, it has several limitations:

• Only a relatively small geographic area can be displayed.
• You can’t edit downloaded photos and maps.
• GPS receiver data can’t be used with the photos and maps.

To address these issues, several developers have created programs that download TerraServer-USA aerial photos and maps so you can put the data to more versatile use. Instead of relying on a Web browser, you use these standalone programs — like USAPhotoMaps — to create scrollable, aerial photos of just about anywhere in the United States that can be customized and saved and optionally overlaid with GPS data.