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pg2114
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:17 pm
Posts: 741
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Hello all, When browsing Google Maps on Firefox, I have just noticed a new button above the zoom bar entitled "Show my location". Within seconds, Google Maps showed me my exact location. I don't understand how it knew precisely where I was, since I'm just connected to my own private network and on a machine without GPS capabilities  Any ideas how it managed to get my location so accurately? Peter. _________________A Mac user 
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| Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:40 pm |
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cloaked_wolf
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:46 pm
Posts: 10022
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Ip addy?
_________________ He fights for the users.
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| Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:28 pm |
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big_D
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:25 pm
Posts: 10691
Location: Bramsche
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Yep, there have been a lot of services which have tracerouted graphically over the years, which were able to track down to at least the last mile, based on the IP addresses. If you have wireless, then it can pinpoint more accurately, I believe they build a list of WLAN AP names and track those down to their nearest point, then triangulate your location based on them. Mozilla and Google announced they were working on this about 6 months ago and there was a huge uproar in privacy circles. Just had a look myself and I don't see any button to do this. Edit: Found it, but it wasn't obvious. And it doesn't work on mine. Left it with the spinning hour-glass effect for 5 minutes and it hasn't moved away from North America yet... Edit 2: Its been running for over 20 minutes and still hasn't refreshed... 
_________________
"Do you know what this is? Hmm? No, I can see you do not. You have that vacant look in your eyes, which says hold my head to your ear, you will hear the sea!" - Londo Molari
Executive Producer No Agenda Show 246
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 4:25 am |
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AlunD
Site Admin
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:12 am
Posts: 7011
Location: Wiltshire
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couldn't find me. 
_________________
<input type="pickmeup" name="coffee" value="espresso" />
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:24 am |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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Yes but I bet Chuck Norris could! _________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:07 am |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm
Posts: 5490
Location: just behind you!
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Find implies Chuck would have to expend effort. Chuck just knows where you are and what you are doing  _________________Finally joined Flickr
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:08 am |
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ShockWaffle
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:50 am
Posts: 1911
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I think was the the eminent philosopher Martin Heidegger who first posited the question, could Chuck Norris roundhouse AlunD so hard that he landed somewhere even Chuck Norris couldn't find him?
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:02 pm |
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l3v1ck
What's a life?
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:21 am
Posts: 12700
Location: The Right Side of the Pennines (metaphorically & geographically)
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Didn't work for me. It just sat there thinking.
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:09 pm |
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mars-bar-man
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 940
Location: Pompy
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Ha!! I tried it....it put me like 4 miles away  I think I'm safe for now _________________Just your friendly neighbourhood mars-bar-man.flickr
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:21 pm |
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pg2114
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:17 pm
Posts: 741
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Where I am currently located, there are no other networks in range, except for my private wireless network. It still manages to locate me instantly to about 100m accuracy Peter. _________________A Mac user
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:50 pm |
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ProfessorF
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
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Hah! In your face Google - I'm not inside your blue circle! 
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:55 pm |
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pg2114
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:17 pm
Posts: 741
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I'm right in the middle of it. Now I know what it's liked to be permanently stalked! Peter. _________________A Mac user
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:04 pm |
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leeds_manc
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:19 pm
Posts: 5071
Location: Manchester
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Where's this link?
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:39 pm |
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ProfessorF
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
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In Firefox 3.5, go to google.co.uk/maps
Above the +/- slider thing in the top left, there's a new button.
This will then try to locate you in Google Maps, if you give Firefox permission to share your location.
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| Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:42 pm |
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mars-bar-man
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 940
Location: Pompy
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Same in Chrome as well.
_________________Just your friendly neighbourhood mars-bar-man.flickr
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| Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:22 am |
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