IndyJunior shows you where you are

Today I have a neat little Web application utility that allows you to map locations to provide a feature such as a “where I am” tracking system. The tool is call IndyJunior and it displays a world map with a series of connected points each with its own optional popup note and URL to link to.

The author, Bryan Boyer, explains that the tool is called IndyJunior because: “Haven’t you seen the Indiana Jones movies? Remember the travel scenes where the plane flies across the map leaving little dots at each stop? As for the junior part, ‘IndyMap’ just sounds stupid.” Actually, I prefer the name IndyMap but for some reason Bryan didn’t clear the name that he chose with me first. No matter.

IndyJunior is a Flash application that is known to be compatible with Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.2, and Mozilla 1.0 under OS X and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 under Windows (I can vouch for it working just fine with Firefox 1.5 under Windows too).

The locations to be displayed are defined in an XML file. Basic data is just the name of the point and its latitude and longitude. Optional attributes include a description to pop up on mouseover and a date that allows IndyJunior to differentiate between current, past, and future locations.

The distribution includes an excellent configuration generation page which will set up all of the display attributes (map size, use of markers, colors, use of lines, etc.) but which only works under Safari and IE.

IndyJunior is available as guiltware – you are asked to donate $5 via the Amazon Honor System if you use IndyJunior on a live Web site.

IndyJunior is a neat little device that could have some useful applications for spicing up intranets as well as publicly showing the world just what a jetsetter you really are.