this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2026
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The world map is changing: The UN has backed replacing the 500-year-old Mercator projection with the accurate Equal Earth projection (lemmy.world)
submitted 5 days ago by time2lose@lemmy.world to c/interestingasfuck@lemmy.world
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[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So, you're saying a more-or-less flat section of a globe should seem flat. Ok... and?

[–] michaelmrose@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You said

"that even though computers should be rendering the world as a globe,"

They shouldn't a projection is actually useful for most people in most instances. Your screen is flat and rendering a 3D image within it would actually mean you can use less of it and see less information in a more confusing view which would ultimately be weird and pointless to the people viewing mostly what is in fact stylized data like which roads cross.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

Your screen is flat, and the surface of the planet is essentially flat. If a program starts with a mercator projection and zooms in on a particular area it's always going to be a distorted view.

rendering a 3D image within it would actually mean you can use less of it and see less information in a more confusing view

Whaat? That's nonsense.