Dependencies

    http://n01se.net/gmapez/
    http://search.cpan.org/~perhenrik/Geo-GeoNames-0.06

    Didn't bother to redo the page using CSS, it's still using the old HTML.
    (TODO)

    But the output is a CGI script that talks to a DB, and generates
    a Google Map on the fly.

- Inner workings:

    A parser which read in the old data, and populated the DB.

    Use CPAN's Geo::GeoNames which looks up the country name, and
    automatically enters LAT/LON information into the table, as a second
    pass.  This can be run asynchronously to automatically update LAT/LON
    for new entries, so the operator doesn't have to know there -- city
    or country name is enough.

    If a more specific entry is given, such as a city instead of a country,
    Geo::GeoNames will find the LAT/LON for that, and place the marker
    where the city is located.

    For the Google Map API: http://n01se.net/gmapez/

    Note that for the moment both IXPs in TZ are overlapping each other
    because the same LAT/LON are used since Geo::GeoNames defaults to
    the same value for the location of Tanzania, and no city has been
    provided.

- Output:

    The HTML output is done using the old HTML page which is tagged and
    then through the cgi on output.  Tags are replaced, such as Google Map
    API key with the right one, and then the data is filled in for the map
    (using the variables from the DB).

- DB:

    Uses Pg.  Can be modified to use MySQL trivially.

    There are two tables:

        DATA
            Data proper
        KIND
            Type, Color (IXP - RED, ROOT SERVER - BLUE)
    
    ... this will allow to have different types of data on the map, such
    as Root servers, IXPs, and then we can add other parameters to decide
    to show one vs. the other, etc... (by passing params to the CGI).

- Updating:

    Simple PHP forms to view and modify the data :)

- Downsides & future directions:

    It's dependent on Google...

    It's not possible to place labels on the country itself, say "SZIX"
    on Swaziland (well it wouldn't fit anyway...), or not possible with
    gmapez.

    Currently, it's not possible to highlight countries -- Google Charts
    has a graph type called "world map", but the future direction will
    probably be to have SVG+PNG rendering with CSS/JS + JQuery or DojoToolkit
    to do the work.