[mapserver-users] National basemap data - WMS service

[Bruce Cheney]

I have been trying to hunt down a good US national basemap to use
through mapserver, preferably a WMS service (unless there is a better
option).  Alternatively I am also looking to put together our own
national basemap to use.  I assume some of you have already been down
this road so maybe can help.  

Here is where I have made it so far but I am struggling to find the good
solution. Google, Yahoo, etc would require an annual fee (not cheap) to
connect to their data (because parts of our site would make money even
if it is not the maps). I am still trying to find out if they will give
permission to connect as a WMS service.  From this user group I get the
impression that that might not happen.  If we couldn't use WMS then we
would have to connect through something like openlayers (still requiring
the annual fee from the provider).

If we try to create our own basemap, so far TIGER looks like it has the
most accurate roads, water features, etc.  But the data all is chunked
out by the county.  That could get hairy to put together in one and
troublesome to load the proper layers if left separate.  Not to mention
the size might require a small server farm.

Is there a better WMS connection we could use?  
Is there a better basemap option?
Is there a way to connect to OpenStreetMap (I couldn't find one)?
Will I have hair left when I solve this problem?

Thanks all for any help you can give.