BOOKMARKS have changed. With Streetdirectory. com online maps unavailable since last Tuesday, users have been hunting for alternatives.

The website's parent company,

Virtual Map, was found by a district court to have infringed the Singapore Land Authority's copyrights by using government maps after an agreement between them had expired.

Virtual Map had appealed to the High Court, but lost.

Since Streetdirectory's closure, users have been searching for alternatives.

Figures from Google Singapore's search engine have put "street directory" and related keywords as the fastest rising search term by users last week.

This week, "Singapore maps" has been one of the top 10 fastest rising search terms.

"This is an indication of how much Singaporeans use online maps in their daily lives and they are searching for other web-based map tools to find locations and get directions," a Google spokesman said.

An SLA spokesman said that the number of hits to its StreetMap@Singapore service had increased in the past few days, but did not have specific figures to share. Users aside, businesses are also looking for alternatives. For one thing, the SLA is advising "individuals and organisations using street directory maps supplied to them by Virtual Map to remove them as soon as possible, as these are infringing maps which fall within the terms of the court order", a spokesman said.

Mr Adrian Long, the general manager of V3 Teletech, which is one of the SLA's licensed service providers of map services, told my paper that the company had received "quite a lot of enquiries" from potential clients, particularly in the last year when the suit gained more public attention.

Of the 100 or so enquiries, most of them were from companies.

Many of these were from the government sector, and were switching over from Virtual Map, he said.

In the last week, he's gotten even more calls, "about two enquiries every day".

He said: "People are more aware of the licensing issues now."

How they compare to each other

STEETMAP@SINGAPORE

http://www.map.gov.sg/streetmap

WHAT IT IS: This is an electronic street directory, provided by the Singapore Land Authority, free for personal and non-commercial use.

WHAT'S HOT: It is the most updated and detailed directory of road maps, as SLA has links with other government agencies such as the Building and Construction Authority, to quickly reflect changes in buildings and roads.

WHAT'S NOT: Maps take a long time to load. The page occasionally times out and needs to be re-loaded.

GOOGLE MAPS

http://maps.google.com

WHAT IT IS: Google Maps is a free online map platform from the Internet giant known for its search engine.

WHAT'S HOT: Users can create personalised maps, such as one which shows all the venues to be used for the Youth Olympic Games. Users can also create ?mash-up? websites, where they input additional information to create a customised product.

WHAT'S NOT: General maps only show roads and some building locations. However, the buildings themselves are not reflected.

REDNANO.SG

http://rednano.sg

WHAT IT IS: The map search section of this local search engine sub-licenses its maps from V3 Teletech, a licensed provider of SLA. Search results can be sub-divided down to maps, news or even images.

WHAT'S HOT: The cross-section of results available. A search for ?Toa Payoh?
shows not only the map of the neighbourhood, but also pictures and lists of companies situated there.

WHAT'S NOT: A few teething problems means some links are misdirected, or pages load slowly.