A. Introduction
  CooMap is a project, run by Mark Qian, that uses Google Maps as its 
  environment to provide its users a different way to communicate: 
           "let's talk about it on the map".

  Technically, it uses different ways to perform remote scripting (AJax, dynamic
  hidden frames and so on) and a variety of approaches for chating (client polling,
  "server pushing", and so on)

  Technologies involved:
  

• Remote scripting
• client polling
• server pushing
• HTTP Streaming
• Google map
• AJAX
• Dynamic Hidden frames
• More...

B. Demo
   You can open two or more clients (browser windows) by clicking at the button below
   (or in different machines) and try following:
    

• Panning by either dragging the map or clicking at panning arrows and watch the response in other client screens
• Adding markers by selecting "Mark" in the "mouse action" field, typing in marker labels in the text area and click at the map
• Chating by entering chat text in the text area and clicking at the "chat" button

     
Note: 

   i). Only IE6 and Netscape7 in XP  is fully tested. 
    
   ii). Bandwith saving for polling         
             You may notice there is a "Refresh" button when you select "Polling". When 
             polling, Coomap always tries to minimize the bandwidth usage. It polls at a 
             rate of once per second after you click at the "Refresh" button. But you will 
             see the color of the button turn lighter and lighter until lightgray within 
             a minute. CooMap will poll the server at a much lower frequency after that
             until you click at the "Refresh" button again. CooMap will also stop polling
             after 5 minutes of GUI silent. You need to refresh the web page to reactivate
             the polling.