[OpenLayers-Dev] 2.11 blocker: remove GoogleNG

[Andreas Hocevar]

I'm terribly sorry for the trouble the GoogleNG layer has caused in the end. I wrote it with the goal in mind to integrate Google Maps better into OpenLayers, without violating the terms of use. The way I did it I was sure it would comply with the terms, because I only used a documented API method to retrieve tiles. The tiles are managed by the GMaps API and only positioned by OpenLayers. And even the way the attribution is loaded is documented (http://mapki.com/wiki/Google_Map_Parameters#Misc), but unfortunately not in the official API docs.

I hope some day the organizations involved in OpenLayers can actively help improve the Google Maps layer situation, by either convincing Google to resolve the issues we have with the GMaps v3 API (which are all reported in the GMaps issue tracker), or to allow tile access in some way.

If anybody wants to get started with this way to improve the situation, feel free to contact me for details on what we would need to better integrate GMaps into OpenLayers.

Andreas.

On Aug 31, 2011, at 01:28 , Tim Schaub wrote:

> Hey,
> 
> I regret to say we've got to hold off on the 2.11 release until we pull the GoogleNG layer.
> 
> This layer uses the google.maps.MapType getTile method (http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/javascript/reference.html#MapType) to retrieve individual tiles and renders the layer as with other XYZ layers.
> 
> A primary intent of Google's terms of use is that the individual tiles are not accessed directly.  Instead, users need to use the whole map interface to render a layer.  We've been given a bit of grace with the way that we wrap the Google Maps API, but this case is a more clear cut violation.
> 
> In addition, to display copyright information, the layer uses an undocumented method of pulling in image attribution information.  There are cases where the attribution information we are displaying is incorrect.  Using an undocumented method and displaying improper copyright information violate the terms of use.
> 
> I've put together a patch to remove the GoogleNG layer.  Anybody using this layer from the trunk should modify their examples to use a different layer instead.
> 
> http://trac.osgeo.org/openlayers/ticket/3481
> 
> Tim
> 
> On 8/28/11 10:33 AM, christopher.schmidt at nokia.com wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> I'd like to put forward a motion to release the current OL 2.11 RC3 as the final
>> OL 2.11 release unless we hear any showstopping regressions by Wednesday morning.
>> 
>> If anyone has any reason not to do this, speak now or forever hold your peace :)
>> 
>> +1 crschmidt
>> 
>> -- Chris_______________________________________________
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Tim Schaub
> OpenGeo - http://opengeo.org
> Enterprise support for open source geospatial.
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-- 
Andreas Hocevar
OpenGeo - http://opengeo.org/
Expert service straight from the developers.