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Previous: (follow-up) London Gatwick | Main | Next: Yourdictionary.com definition
November 29, 2004 12:01 AM
Broken: Rockefeller Center map
Rockefeller Center is a major tourist destination here in New York City. But click "Directions" on the rockefellercenter.com website and you'll see two problems:
1. The map is light-grey-on-white-background. You can hardly see it, like they don't want to show you the map!
2. The map is oriented with north pointing to the right, which makes absolutely no sense...
You think that's all that's broken about it? Check this out:
This site requires a minimum of Flash 6.0 for viewing.
Simply click here to download the latest Flash plugin.
Death's too good for some people, I say.
Not only is it a Flash site, it's a total waste of Flash---since it barely uses any animation whatsoever.
And since it's Flash, all the text is in an image, so you can't cut and paste it easily, read it you have a high resolution screen, nor will anyone who is visually impaired hear it via a screen reader.
But if you can see the map and read the text, you will notice it does not even show you WHERE Rockefeller center is located! No big star, no dark box, nothing.
Great find!
Oh this one is so bad.
Because the text can't be copied, I can't email the directions to anyone, or copy to a text editor to print out. And because I can't link to the map, I can't email anyone a link to it!
And I have one to add: clicking the browser back button once while on the home page RELOADS THE PAGE! I have to click it twice, with the right timing, to leave the site (which I did in a hurry).
A map layout that doesn't have north at the top is excusable if you have limited media like a paper brochure or something but on a website there is no justification.
If you look closely, these aren't even directions, *OR* a map. The whole map is "Rockerfeller Center", since it supposedly stretches from 5th to 7th, and 47th to 51st... there's no indication of how to get there, other than a "short walk from Times Square" and a general street location, though no distinct address. So, not only is the map and the site (flash, no c&p, etc) broken, but so is the title claiming that you'll get directions.
Oh, wait.. I see the directions on the side, now.. still no map of how it fits into the bigger picture of NYC, though I suppose if you were going to NY, NY, you'd have a general idea of where 'downtown' was. :P Very broken.
Not only that, but if you mentally translate the map so that north is up, the street names are upside down!
This is one of the most appalling maps and set of directions I've ever seen. I'm particularly aware of the deficiencies because I had offices in various Rockefeller Center bldgs for more than 10 years.
Forget the fact that it doesn't provide a mouse rollover feature to visually highlight the location of any of the particular builidngs or features that are listed to the left of the map. It doesn't even show the location of any of the features or attractions a tourist might be most interested in knowing about (such as the locations of the various subway entrances, the NBC studios, the skating rink, etc, etc.) with the sole exception of Radio City Music Hall (misleadingly referred to simply as "Radio City").
Perhaps the biggest howler is the subway direction for those of you coming to Rock Center on the 1 or the 9 subway lines. It instructs you to get off at the 50th Street Station and then "Walk east to Fifth Avenue to Rocefeller Center." Dude, once you've walked all the way east to Fifth Avenue, you've already walked PAST Rockefeller Center!
I can't tell you how many times I've had tourists approach me asking for directions to Rockefeller Center and I've had to simply tell them "You're already there!" This map certainly doesn't help matters.
Chris
You know a map's bad when it not only doesn't help you, but it may actually *confuse* you!! that's horrible.
Even more appauling than the function of the map or lack thereof is the gross innacuracy. Its not to say that you would get lost once you get there, but the three buildings to the top (west of 6th avenue) do NOT stretch to 7th avenue in reality. And for that matter neither does the center itself which does include these three Abramovitz buildings
If you look at the overall shape of the map, the area forms the number "1". It is a subliminal message that Rockefeller Center is Number One.
Obviously if they oriented the map to north the deginer would have thrown a fit trying to put labels on the streets and preserve his "white-space".
It really is quite logical if you don't care about communicating.
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Previous: (follow-up) London Gatwick | Main | Next: Yourdictionary.com definition
Having north pointing to the right would at least be excusable if they had a compass rose explicitly stating that. They don't even have that, though!
Posted by: codeman38 at November 29, 2004 01:18 AM