Bing Maps |
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| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
| Stable release | Final (v7) / December 5th, 2010 |
| Type | Web mapping service Virtual globe |
| Website | http://www.bing.com/maps |
Bing Maps (previously Live Search Maps, Windows Live Maps, Windows Live Local, and MSN Virtual Earth) is a web mapping service provided as a part of Microsoft's Bing suite of search engines and powered by the Bing Maps for Enterprise framework.
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Users can browse and search topographically-shaded street maps for many cities worldwide. Maps include certain points of interest built-in, such as metro stations, stadiums, hospitals, and other facilities. It is also possible to browse public user-created points of interest. Searches can cover public collections, businesses or types of business, locations, or people. Five primary types of street map views are available to users: Road View, Aerial View, Bird’s Eye View, StreetSide View, and 3D View
Users can get directions between two or more locations. In September 2010, Bing Maps added public transit directions (bus, subway, and local rail) to its available direction options.[8] Currently transit directions are only available in 11 cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark Metro Area, New York Metro Area, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver BC, and Washington DC.
Bing Map Apps is a collection of 1st and 3rd party applications that add additional functionality and content to Bing Maps. Examples of map apps include a parking finder, a taxi fare calculator, an app that maps out Facebook friends, and an app which lets users explore the day's newspaper front pages from around the world. These apps are only accessible through Bing Maps Silverlight.
Bing Maps shows users current traffic information for major highways and roads. The feature users 4 color codes (black, red, yellow, green) to indicate traffic volume, from heaviest traffic to lightest traffic. Microsoft announced in March 2008 that it will be releasing its latest software technology called “ClearFlow”. It is a Web-based service for traffic-based driving directions available on Bing.com in 72 cities across the U.S.[9] The tool took five years for Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence team to develop. ClearFlow provides real-time traffic data to help drivers avoid traffic congestion. ClearFlow gives information for alternative routes and supplies traffic conditions on city streets adjacent to highways.[10] Clearflow anticipates traffic patterns, while taking into account sporting/arena events, time of day and weather conditions, and then reflects the back ups and their consequential spill over onto city streets. Often, ClearFlow found it may be faster to stay on the highway instead of seeking alternative side street routes, which involve traffic lights and congestion as well.[11]
Bing Maps allows users to share maps and embed maps into their websites. By clicking the e-mail icon in the bottom-left corner of Bing Maps, a window will open that displays a shareable URL so others can access the map currently being viewed. This window also provides HTML code to embed a small version of the map onto any web page.
In August 2010, Bing Maps launched an overhauled design for its default view. The new colors create a more visually appealing backdrop for information delivery that helps content ‘pop’ on the map. The backdrop provides clear differentiation for pushpins, labels and red, yellow and green traffic overlays. These design principles also works well in black and white and creates differentiation for those with the most common forms of color blindness. Also, larger fonts correspond to larger roads to help customers more easily identify main roads in cities. More readable labels eliminate the need for bolding and less-attractive glows. The inclusion of neighborhood labels allows users to quickly find or convey locations in a commonly used and highly relevant format.
The search box at the top of Bing Maps can be used to locate places, businesses and landmarks, and people. Search results appear both on a left-side rail and as pushpins on the map (linked together by numbers). Search results often include addresses, contact information, and reviews for businesses and landmarks. For relevant searches, the user will also see a description of the landmark or place (powered by Wikipedia) if a Wikipedia article exists. The search process can also be guided using local directories for numerous categories (restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, retail stores, etc.).
Bing Maps users can also view and add “user contributed” entries to the map. These user-contributions must be toggled on by users. These user-contributed items can include businesses, landmarks, buildings, locations, as well as Microsoft [Photosynth]s. Users can browse user-contributions by tags and subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates of new user-contributions to a specific area.
In August 2010, Bing Maps added dynamic labels to its Silverlight experience (bing.com/maps/explore). Turn on the dynamic labels beta from the map style selector on bing.com/maps/explore and the labels become clickable. This allows users to quickly zoom down to a region or location anywhere on the map with just a few clicks. Zooming back out in a single click is also possible by using the ‘breadcrumb’ trail at the top left of the map.
Bing Maps has two separate experiences for users: an AJAX version (located at Bing.com/Maps) and an opt-in Silverlight version (located at Bing.com/Maps/Explore) that requires Microsoft Silverlight to be installed. The Silverlight version is positioned to offer richer, more dynamic features and a smoother experience. In November 2010, the AJAX and Silverlight versions were combined into a semi-hybrid site where Silverlight features such as Map Apps and Streetside could be enabled through the Bing.com/Maps site - these features still required Silverlight to be installed, but does not require use of a separate Bing Maps site.
The AJAX and Silverlight site share the following features: Road View, Aerial View, Bird’s-Eye View, Sharing Maps, People/Business/Location Search, Building Footprints, Driving Directions, Walking Directions.
Silverlight users exclusively can Map Apps, StreetSide View, Photosynths, and Dynamic Labels.
Bing Map Apps are accessed either through the “Map Apps” button in the Bing Maps Explore Bar or through direct perma-links. The Map Apps button is only viewable if the user is in the Bing Maps Silverlight experience.
There are a number of map apps that are developed/published by Bing, as indicated by the publisher above the map app’s name in the app gallery. The following are a list of 1st party apps:
| 2010 Tour de France: Shows Tour de France segments and results | Bing Health Maps: Displays various health statistic heat maps for the US | Bing Maps World Tour – Explore new imagery for Bing Maps |
| Businesses by Category: Displays businesses by various categories (Shopping, Food, Travel, etc.) | Coin Search: A game to find hidden coins in StreetSide imagery | Current Traffic: See traffic levels for major highways and roads |
| Distance Calculator: Calculate the distance between 2 points in Miles or Kilometers | Education Map: See local opportunities to volunteer and mentor kids | Food Cart Finder: Find the best food carts to eat at in Portland, OR |
| foursquare Everysquare: Integrates foursquare checkins and badges to Bing Maps | Haiti Earthquake: View before and after photos of Haiti | Home Turf Finder: Find places to watch the World Cup based on country |
| Hotel Finder: Find and learn about hotels | Local Events: Learn about local upcoming events | Local Lens: Keep up to date with hyperlocal information |
| StreetSide Photos: Explore cities and landmarks at the StreetSide level using geo-tagged Flickr images | Teach Here: Search for local teaching job opportunities | Twitter Maps: See real-time updates from geo-tagged tweets |
| What’s Nearby: See what’s in the neighborhood (restaurants, bars, movie theatres, shopping, etc.) | World Cup: Check the latest information on the World Cup | WorldWide Telescope: Explore the skies and universe |
| My Friends: Map out Facebook friends | OpenStreetMap: Change the base map to OpenStreetMap |
Bing Map Apps also allows third parties to create and submit map apps. The following are a list of 3rd party map apps:
| Destination Maps: Create a custom map to a party or place | Everyscape Eats!: Explore 360 degree views of restaurants | Gas Prices: See gas prices for nearby gas stations |
| GeoSalesTax: View a heat map of sales tax rates in the US | Global Action Atlas: View ongoing global efforts to help people in need and help the environment | DonorsChoose.org: See micro-donation opportunities to help classrooms in need |
| Oodle Rentals: Find places to rent housing | ParkingFinder: Find parking and get parking rates in major cities | Random Location: Jump to a random location on the map |
| Ricky’s Data Viewer: Import shape files and GSS files to view on Bing Maps | Roadside Sculptures: See sculptures found on US highways | Roadside Attractions: Learn about attractions found along US highways |
| Seattle Issues: Shows SeeClickFix civil issues in the Seattle area | Signs & Billboards: Unique and noteworthy signs and billboards | Taxi Fare Calculator: Estimate taxi care costs |
| Today’s Front Pages: View the front pages of newspapers from around the globe | TrafficLand: See traffic cameras across the US | Travel Webcams: View webcam feeds at global attractions |
| Urban Graffiti: Images of graffiti from cities | Urban Murals Wall paintings from urban corridors | Wcities Events: Find local events |
| WCities Places Nearby: Find nearby hotels, attractions, venues, and restaurants | Weather: See weather conditions and forecasts | Wiki Explorer: Explore the 50 most recent entries to Wiki Places |
| World of Football: See scores of top European soccer teams |
In July 2010, Microsoft and DigitalGlobe, a leading global content provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, announced the collection of the first imagery from the company's Advanced Ortho Aerial Program. Through a special agreement with Microsoft, the Advanced Ortho Aerial Program will provide wall-to-wall 30 cm aerial coverage of the contiguous United States and Western Europe that DigitalGlobe has the exclusive rights to distribute beyond Bing Maps. The program's first orthophoto mosaics are of Augusta, GA, San Diego, CA and Tampa, FL, and can be viewed on DigitalGlobe's website.
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Bahamas | Full | No | Yes |
| Canada | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Cayman Islands | Full | No | Yes |
| Mexico | Full | No | Yes |
| Puerto Rico | Full | No | Yes |
| Virgin Islands | Full | No | Yes |
| Argentina | Full | No | Yes |
| Brazil | Full | No | Yes |
| Chile | Limited | No | Yes |
| Colombia | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| French Guiana | Full | No | No |
| Guadeloupe | Full | No | No |
| Martinique | Full | No | No |
| Saint Barthelemy | Full | No | No |
| Venezuela | Full | No | Yes |
| Anguilla | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Aruba | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Barbados | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Belize | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bermuda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bolivia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Costa Rica | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cuba | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Dominica | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Dominican Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ecuador | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| El Salvador | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Greenland | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Grenada | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guatemala | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guyana | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Haiti | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Honduras | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Jamaica | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Montserrat | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Netherlands Antilles | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nicaragua | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Panama | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Paraguay | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Peru | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Saint Lucia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Saint Vincent and The Grenadines | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| St. Pierre and Miquelon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Suriname | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Uruguay | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Angola | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Benin | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Burkina Faso | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Burundi | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cameroon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cape Verde | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Central African Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Chad | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Comoros | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Congo | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Djibouti | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Equatorial Guinea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Eritrea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ethiopia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Gabon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Gambia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ghana | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Morocco | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guinea-Bissau | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Kenya | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Liberia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Madagascar | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Malawi | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mali | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mauritania | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mauritius | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mayotte | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mozambique | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Niger | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nigeria | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Rwanda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Senegal | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Seychelles | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sierra Leone | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Somalia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| South Africa | Full | No | Yes |
| St. Helena | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sudan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Togo | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tunisia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Uganda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Western Sahara | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Zambia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Zimbabwe | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Full | No | Yes |
| Austria | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Belgium | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Croatia | Full | No | Yes |
| Czech Republic | Full | No | Yes |
| Denmark | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Estonia | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Finland | Full | Yes | Yes |
| France | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Germany | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Gibraltar | Full | No | Yes |
| Greece | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Guernsey | Full | No | Yes |
| Hungary | Full | No | Yes |
| Ireland | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Isle of Man | Full | No | Yes |
| Italy | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Jersey | Full | No | Yes |
| Latvia | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Liechtenstein | Full | No | Yes |
| Lithuania | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Luxembourg | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Monaco | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Netherlands | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Norway | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Poland | Full | No | Yes |
| Portugal | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Russian Federation | Full | No | Yes |
| San Marino | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Slovakia | Full | No | Yes |
| Slovenia | Full | No | Yes |
| Spain | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Sweden | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Switzerland | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Turkey | Full | No | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Vatican City State | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Albania | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Belarus | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bosnia and Herzegowina | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bulgaria | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Iceland | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Moldova, Republic of | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Montenegro | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Romania | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Serbia | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Azerbaijan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Faroe Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sudan | Georgia | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Armenia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cyprus | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Malta | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ukraine | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Japan | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Afghanistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| American Samoa | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bangladesh | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bhutan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cambodia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| China | Limited | No | No |
| Cook Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Fiji | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| French Polynesia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guam | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Kiribati | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Kyrgyzstan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Maldives | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Marshall Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mongolia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Myanmar | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nauru | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nepal | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| New Caledonia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Niue | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Norfolk Island | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| North Korea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Pakistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Palau | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Papua New Guinea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Philippines | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Solomon Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| South Korea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sri Lanka | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tajikistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Timor-Leste | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tonga | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Turkmenistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tuvalu | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Uzbekistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Vanuatu | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Viet Nam | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Wallis and Futuna Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Australia | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Hong Kong | Limited | No | Yes |
| India | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Indonesia | Limited | No | Yes |
| Macau | Limited | No | Yes |
| Malaysia | Limited | No | Yes |
| New Zealand | Limited | No | Yes |
| Singapore | Limited | No | Yes |
| Taiwan | Limited | No | Yes |
| Thailand | Limited | No | Yes |
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | Full | No | Yes |
| Botswana | Full | No | Yes |
| Kuwait | Full | No | Yes |
| Lesotho | Full | No | Yes |
| Namibia | Full | No | Yes |
| Oman | Full | No | Yes |
| Qatar | Full | No | Yes |
| Saudi Arabia | Full | No | Yes |
| Swaziland | Full | No | Yes |
| United Arab Emirates | Full | No | Yes |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Iraq | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Israel | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Lebanon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Syrian Arab Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Yemen | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Jordan | Full | No | No |
| Reunion | Full | No | No |
| Egypt | Limited | No | No |
Bing Maps was based on existing Microsoft technologies such as Microsoft MapPoint, and TerraServer. The original version lacked many of its distinguishing features, including birds' eye view and 3D maps, and the Collections functionality was limited to a single "Scratchpad" of points of interest. Upon its release in December 2005, Windows Live Local became the public face of the Virtual Earth platform. On November 6, 2006, Microsoft added the ability to view the maps in 3D using a .NET managed control and managed interfaces to Direct3D. Microsoft subsequently referred to this product officially as "Live Search Maps", integrating it as part of its Live Search services. On June 3, 2009, Microsoft officially rebranded Live Search Maps as Bing Maps, and the Virtual Earth platform as Bing Maps for Enterprise.
Bing maps frequently update and expand the geographic areas covered by their imagery, with new updates being released on roughly a monthly basis. Each imagery release typically contains more than 10TB of imagery.
However, the necessary time-lapse before images are updated means that aerial and Bird's-Eye images for a particular location can sometimes be several years out-of-date. This is particularly noticeable in locations that have undergone rapid recent development or experienced other dramatic changes since the imagery was taken, such as areas affected by natural disasters.
Microsoft states that Bing Maps needs the following environment:[12]
Compatible browsers include Windows Internet Explorer 6 or later, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or later, or Safari 3.1 or later.[13] Opera is stated to be usable "with some functionality limitations".[14] Users of browsers that are not considered compatible, as well as users of versions of compatible browsers that are not supported, will be directed away from viewing the map without an error message.
The 3D Maps viewer plug-in requires Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 with Internet Explorer 6/7/8 or Firefox 1.5/2.0/3.0.[15]
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