[QGIS-Developer] Deprecating OpenLayers Plugin?

[Nyall Dawson]

On 7 June 2018 at 08:48, Paolo Cavallini <cavallini at faunalia.it> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Il 06/06/2018 12:55, Paolo Cavallini ha scritto:
>> Hi Nyall, Primin, others:
>>
>> Il 06/06/2018 11:50, Nyall Dawson ha scritto:
>>
>>> While we are discussing this - I'd also like to seem the same logic
>>> applied to the OpenLayers plugin. That plugin has very serious issues,
>>> more so than the Rectangles/ plugin (since OpenLayers can cause data
>>> corruption!). Better alternatives exist now (XYZ tiles,
>>> QuickMapServices plugin).
>>>
>>> I'd be very much in favour of deprecating the OpenLayers plugin and
>>> marking it with a "install QuickMapServices" instead warning.
>>
>> I understand your point, and I confirm that a large number of users
>> complain about this. I'd appreciate, before taking any step, if the
>> original author would comment on this.
>
> as far as I can understand, OL plugin is the sole that can be used
> legally; the others may violate GG licence (caution: IANAL).
> One alternative to deprecating would be to state clearly advantages
> (legality) and disadvantages (limitations or bugs) clear in the
> description and about.

I understand that's the case, but at the same time -- what's
ultimately better for our users? I think that given:

- there's a demonstrated need for this plugin, yet only in narrow
circumstances (users who specifically require Google Maps base layers,
and have made the call that using the Open Layers approach is legally
acceptable for their organisation)
- there's very serious, long standing issues here, causing real world
data corruption, and wasted time/frustration by our users, and better
alternatives exist which meet the needs of most users

we should deprecate it and mark it with a large warning, and ideally
see it moved it to a 3rd party plugin repo (which is not included in
the default QGIS install).

Nyall