New Software: Microsoft’s WorldWide Telescope
I am sure most of you have heard of the Google Earth program’s Google Sky component. Well, this Spring, Microsoft will also come out with a similar Windows-only software called WorldWide Telescope.
Me, I am strictly a Mac-man so I probably won’t even personally bother using this, but the prospect of another mass-produced software like Google Sky bringing astronomy further into the hearts and homes of people at large brings me such joy that I will momentarily overlook the fact that this software is Microsoft to write this blog post. I am also happy to see that Newsweek did an article on it.
I am holding this Newsweek article comparing the two softwares, by Newsweek Technologist Columnist, Steven Levy, in my hands right now. The article is called “From Search Wars to Star Wars” (March 31, 2008). Here are some highlights:
• Google Sky has 200 million viewable galaxies, while WorldWide Telescope will come with 1.2 million galaxies with a later addition of some 2 billion more.
• Unlike GoogleSky (which came from a little side project), WorldWide Telescope (WWT) sprouted up from Microsoft’s high-end research division, where scientists like Jim Gray have been organizing satellite imagery to lend to this software for years (in fact, the project is dedicated to Gray, who disappeared on his sailboat last year).
• WWT has an attractive interface that allows users to make their own “guided tours” of space. You can do flyby footage, and put it to music. yes, baby….”Come Fly with Me….”
• According to Newsweek, the two companies, Google and Microsoft, are not trying to go head to head at competing for the accolades of best astronomy software because neither has plans to monetize its space software programs. Lior Ron, Google Sky’s product manager says this: “If there’s one thing that’s universal it’s sky and space.” And, amen, I say.
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