You didn't do it when they changed the name to the Gulf of Mexico? Well, better late than never.

I'm looking for a good new mapping site/app too - I'm trying to wean myself off of Google because of their use of AI (in their search engine at least), so I'm trying out new search engine options too.

I doubt that's a like for like change.

Google Maps seems to dominate that particular space and has for years. With more users than the perenially trailing Apple Maps, which has been playing catch-up for years. And along with Google's acquisition and partial integration with Waze, Google Maps includes a lot of route incident information reported by users that other systems don't have.

I don't think Google Maps uses AI extensively for searches entered the traditional way, on the search bar. I could be wrong and if it does, so what?

I don't care what map comes up or who has it, and certainly can't understand why someone would get a thrill about changing to a different map.

For those interested, here is a brief history of the Great Lakes and the Welland Canal

https://greatlakes-seaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/welland.pdf

excerpt

The all-Canadian Welland Canal is the first

segment of the modern Seaway to have been

built. It connects two of the Great Lakes

(Ontario and Erie) and forms an integral part of

the deep waterway that allows large lakers and

ocean vessels to navigate to and from the heart of

North America.

I’ve got google, waze, and apple on my phone. of the three, google is my least favorite. It does integrate better with my cars, but not enough of a difference to make me use it. I also tend to favor my phone apps over the native nav in any car I’ve had.

So?

“can't understand why someone would get a thrill about changing to a different map.”

Or someone who should have better things to, changing the name of something with a Sharpie. 🤷‍♀️ It seemed to be a very big deal.

" and if it does, so what? "

It's something I don't want and don't use, that's what, and since they don't offer an option to turn it off, I find it annoying. That's enough for me. I'm using search engines that make it easy for me to turn off AI options, to give me less of things I don't want. And to tell the company that I think current generative AI is useless and making us all dumber, so I'm choosing to turn away from it.

" I don't care what map comes up or who has it, and certainly can't understand why someone would get a thrill about changing to a different map "

A reasonable option, as is the option to care about what companies you use and patronize. And I can understand someone being happy that they've found a useful alternative company instead of the one that's supportive of something you disagree with. They're called retail boycotts, and they work. You can choose not to participate, but you should understand what's happening.

TV I’m just curious what AI is doing on NAV that’s offending?

" I also tend to favor my phone apps over the native nav in any car I’ve had. "

That makes sense to me, some of them can be wonky. A Toyota my wife had not too long ago had an onboard Nav system and it was painful to use. Toyota was late to the game in building in CarPlay/Android Auto and that car was, I believe, in the last model year that didn't have it. So she had no option.

I've a few cars with both that and onboard systems and I have to say I tend to like the onboard systems better in some situations. In heavy traffic in central urban settings, Google Maps and Waze tend to suggest ridiculous "alternative routes" - like getting off at an onramp and then continuing straight to get back on via the adjacent onramp. Or, taking a detour that adds 5 miles and may or may not gain the minute or two that triggered the suggested detour.

In such situations, which I encounter often when passing through a large city in SoCal with a lot of traffic, I keep both active and frequently go opinion shopping. "Okay, this one says to do thus and such, what does the other suggest?"

As to labels on a map, I pay no attention to them. Why bother? When using tech solutions to navigate, the timeliness and accuracy of traffic data, and how the info is handled, are what matter most to me.

" the all-Canadian Welland Canal "

The canal handles close to 40 million tons of cargo each year. Between the Canadian canal, electricity, and oil, the US needs Canada more than most people probably know.

" It's something I don't want and don't use, "

In the context of navigation directions, what is it that AI involvement, if indeed there is much, gives you don't want?

" TV I’m just curious what AI is doing on NAV that’s offending? "

I'm not sure there is AI used in Google maps (is that what you mean by NAV?), but I've started trying to wean myself off of Google generally because of the AI in their search engine that I can't turn off - and it's made worse by them not pushing back against T's abuse of Canada. So now I'm looking for alternatives to their search engine and their map program.

I don’t really use any app. I usually know where I’m going.

I’ll be darned if I’m going to start using White-out on my paper maps and globe, though.

" it's made worse by them not pushing back "

Google is a business, not a political party. It's made nothing worse, the change is to try to avoid a problem with people it wishes to not offend. Like governments.

As I understand what it's doing, connections from north of the border will see the lake name unchanged. Those from south of the border, the new name.

I don't necessarily care for the change but I also think there are much bigger fish to fry. Another of the things easily changed in the future, or not. Whatever. It's not something that really matters.

Yep