SV: [mapserver-users] Mapserver consuming Google Maps

[Christopher Schmidt]

On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 09:20:30AM +0200, Till Adams wrote:
> Niels-Peter,
>
> I really do not see the need for this.
>
> All things, which are fun regarding Mapserver are not possible with  
> GoogleMaps, e.g. reprojection or define your map layout in an easy way.  
> Even if you would write some piece of code, which would enable mapserver  
> getting that google tiles as a datasource you'll have at least a slower  
> service than pure google and - if reprojecting the google stuff - you'll  
> have "unreadable" maps with distorted labels.
>
> So beside the fact Chris already mentioned - I think if you have a  
> client, which is able to show Mapserver services AND google map services  
> together, you're fine, or what is your intention?

Many clients *can't* do this, and it does cause a problem for those clients.
For example, it's difficult for qgis to consume Google Maps tiles, last
I looked, but it can consume a WMS easily, so you can imagine using
MapServer as the integration point. 

Web-based clients aren't the only types of clients that MapServer 
WMSes have, and are the only clients that can consume Google Maps. 

-- 
Christopher Schmidt
MetaCarta