I recently saw a commercial desktop application that, among its various other features for managing the user's private database of names and addresses, incorporates a link to Google Maps. I am pretty sure the app is not using the API.
Apparently the app just uses a visible embedded browser control, formulates a custom URL with address parameters and passes it to Google Maps. The results are displayed in the embedded browser. There is no repetitive batch processing, just the interactive HTTP call to Google Maps one address a time. (The user has selected a single item in the local database through its UI, and the app creates and passes a single custom URL with the specific parameters for the address to get directions or display a single marker.) I wonder if this is permitted. The only provision I can find to the contrary is found in Google's general Terms of Service, which states: "5.3 You agree not to access (or attempt to access) any of the Services by any means other than through the interface that is provided by Google, unless you have been specifically allowed to do so in a separate agreement with Google. You specifically agree not to access (or attempt to access) any of the Services through any automated means (including use of scripts or web crawlers) and shall ensure that you comply with the instructions set out in any robots.txt file present on the Services." I have always taken that provison to prohibit batch scripts, scraping scripts, etc. Does it also prohibit the interactive use described above? If not, is there any other provision in the Google Maps terms that prohibit it? --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Google Maps API" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-API?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
