"Technology Review" Asks An Interesting Question

An article in Technology Review Annotating the Earth asks "Is [Google's] KML becoming a de facto standard for geo-based content?"

This is an interesting thought for those of us in the business of coordinating the use and sharing of geospatial data. It may be the case that Google Maps and Google Earth are becoming a standard on-line face of geospatial data, but there will still be a need for back-room GIS work to support this form of on-line publishing and to provide the local and state-level basemap data that we take for granted in Maps and Earth, and in other on-line maps sites.

I think that the sub-title of this article is telling:

Move over, Rand McNally: Google Earth is becoming the standard tool for organizing geographical information.

What's highlighted here is really a change in the form of publication. There will always be a need for good data in the background.