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Google Maps Selection criteria

tarmop edited this page Mar 4, 2015 · 1 revision

Maps selection criteria

Customization

  • "Cool"
  • A way to customize colors and map overview.
  • Drawing countries (borders)
  • Hiding irrelevant data (roads etc.)
  • Using custom icons to display villages, sponsors and relations on the map.
  • Drawing these to desired locations (defined by coordinates)

Reliability

  • Reliable now and in the future.
  • Functionality and speed
  • Must be zoomable and movable.
  • A way to limit how far user can zoom in and out.
  • Loading times for map tiles must be fast.
  • "Smooth" experience.

License

  • Free or fair to use in consideration to this project.
  • expediency
  • Must work as planned.
  • Not a roadmap.

Extra

  • Good documentation
  • Good interface
  • Javascript based

##Why GoogleMaps?

After researching and testing multiple map apis the two best options found for this project were leaflet + and GoogleMaps. Leaflet being the best open source api and GoogleMaps the best commercial api.

In the end GoogleMaps was chosen because it fulfilled requirements above better. The most important aspect here was that GoogleMaps has great customizing possibilities and one of the most important requirement was customization. Also overall better loadtimes and stability and developer tools made it the 'winner'.

Usage Limits

Basically Google allows 25k hits / month for 90 days. If the limit is broken then they will try and make contact (app still running as normal) they will also give deadline for date that payment method must be chosen. HOWEVER if you do nothing your site will still work as it normally would until it hits the 25k limit.

Also good to note:

"Applications deemed to be in the public interest (as determined by Google at its discretion) are not subject to these usage limits, even if that site or application is operated by a for-profit business. For example, a disaster relief map might not be subject to the usage limits even if it has been developed and/or is hosted by a commercial entity. In addition, qualifying nonprofit organizations who demonstrate a need for increased geocoding limits or internal usage of the Google Maps API may apply for a Google Maps API for Business grant license through the Google Earth Outreach grants program."

More information: https://developers.google.com/maps/

Reference: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference

Test environment for GoogleMaps: https://code.google.com/apis/ajax/playground/#map_simple

Detailed information about usage limits: https://developers.google.com/maps/usagelimits/?utm_referrer=v3

Online styling wizard for fast customization: http://gmaps-samples-v3.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/styledmaps/wizard/index.html?utm_medium=twitter