> My ultimate question is this -- keeping in mind that the same map > would be used between paying and non-paying visitors, would this type > of setup be in violation of the ToS? There would be no difference in > the type of data being displayed, just the way in which the user would > have the ability to display and manipulate map information.
I'd have said that your maps would be "generally available without charge" so within the ToS. It's not clear whether the Terms apply to just the Google Maps API, or to the API plus data, or to the API plus data and other related functionality. If the use of the API is useful to people who aren't paying, then I'd have thought you were making the maps "generally available without charge". Probably the best plan of action, given that this is borderline, is to create your application and then point it out to Google for comment. My take on the ToS is that Google want to maximise their brand image. We get to use their API for free, so long as the Google branding is generally available to any site visitors. If you want to hide the map away then you need a commercial licence. The debatable bit is how much functionality can be hidden away: obviously you do need to keep some admin stuff protected, but what about slightly advanced features, or more detailed data for logged-in users only? I think that, so long as an anonymous site visitor will find the site useful, and so come back to see the Google branding again, then you're OK. But an empty map for anon, plus data for logged-in users only, would probably be against the ToS. The answer is that no-one knows :) --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
