When Google Maps Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade. Talk at NACIS 2012 conference. Related article at http://www.netmagazine.com/features/top-seven-alternatives-google-maps-api

1. When Google Maps
Gives You Lemons,
Make Lemonade
Wm Leler
Flightstats, Inc.
http://www.slideshare.net/
wmleler/nacis12

2. Money
• A year ago, Google announced they would
be charging ($$$) for their maps API,
or adding advertising to free users
• Lots of companies started looking at
alternatives
• Flightstats was a huge user of their API
• Even for our own map tiles

3. Google Maps API
The 800 lb Gorilla
• Revolutionary when it came out
• 7 years old, used by 350,000 websites
• Suppressed development of alternatives
• Google owns you and controls you
• V2 to V3 API bungle

4. Problems with
Google Maps API
• Closed, proprietary system - no source
• Difficult to fix bugs or add features
• Clumsy object model
• Generic, one-size-fits-all
• Limited basemaps
• Restricted interaction model
• Somewhat automobile centric

5. Maps in 3 Movements
Map Maps, Imagery Geography
Data OSM & Info & Routes
Server Map Tiles, Geom, etc.
• User controls
Client
JavaScript Map API
• Loads Map Tiles
Browser • Markers and
annotations

6. Evaluated APIs
Proprietary:
• Google Maps API
• Mapquest, Microsoft Bing, Nokia
Open:
• OpenLayers - http://openlayers.org/
• Leaflet - http://leaflet.cloudmade.com/
• Modest Maps - http://modestmaps.com/
• Polymaps - http://polymaps.org/

7. API Comparison
• OpenLayers is mature, very powerful,
somewhat complicated and large
• Leaflet is new but lots of committers,
excellent object model, easily extensible,
modern design, good for mobile
• Modest maps is compact, minimal
• Polymaps uses SVG, renders geometry
directly on client (no image tiles)

8. Result
• We decided on Leaflet, but your needs may
be different
• No regrets!
• There is huge demand for information
about alternatives to Google Maps
• http://www.netmagazine.com/features/
top-seven-alternatives-google-maps-api

9. Map Servers
• Use a free public map server:
• MapQuest Open, Open Street Map
• Use someone else’s map server (low usage)
• Use a commercial map server
• MapBox, CloudMade
• Our own server
• or cloud storage

10. Maps We Use
• Stamen Design Terrain map (US only now)
• Mapbox Terrain
• University of Heidelberg Open Map Surfer
• NASA Blue Marble, Mapquest Open Aerial
• GeoIQ Acetate Terrain (background)
• our own maps

11. Workshop
• “Powerful Mapping Applications with Open
Source Tools”
• Saturday afternoon workshop
• In conjunction with TriMet

12. Thoughts
• Alternatives to Google Maps have
significant advantages
• Online maps are still in an early stage of
realizing the possibilities
• Dynamic Maps (airplane tracker, wind)
• Interaction

13. http://www.slideshare.net/wmleler/nacis12
http://flightstats.com