[MG] Google Maps lock-in

[Michael Allan]

What I can do in advance is done.  The default base layer is now
configurable: http://metagovernment.tuxfamily.org/crossforum/config.js
I set it to Osmarender OSM, as suggested by Conseo.

  http://metagovernment.tuxfamily.org/crossforum/#c=DumG
  (you may need to hit refresh, to clear your cache)

Also the user's choice is now persistent.  So use the (+) control at
top right to select your favourite map rendering, and (if you have
cookies enabled) the browser will remember it.

If there are any problems, please let me know,
-- 
Michael Allan

Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
http://zelea.com/


Michael Allan wrote:
> conseo wrote:
> > What do you think? Do you want to have Google services available and
> > if so for which concrete use cases?
> 
> As crossforum administrator, I'll abide by whatever you folks decide.
> 
> A couple of things I can do in advance: I can make the default
> rendering (Google or Mapnik or whatever) a config option for admins.
> I can also make the user's runtime choice (the rendering you see by
> default) persistent through cookies.  These changes should be easy
> enough to code.
> 
> Later, I'll allow the admin to remove map renderings from the choice
> list entirely.  So he could scratch Google if he needed to.  This is
> slightly more difficult.  I'll put this off till we decide we
> definitely need it (or someone else codes it - that's cool).
> 
> -- 
> Michael Allan
> 
> Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
> http://zelea.com/
> 
> 
> > having discussed with Mike about the usage of Google services in Crossforum, I 
> > have had a look at the terms of usage directly linked on the Google mapper on 
> > Crossforum:
> > 
> > http://www.google.com/intl/de-DE_US/help/terms_maps.html
> > 
> > ...
> > 3. Appropriate Conduct; Compliance with Law and Google Policies.  You agree 
> > that you are responsible for your own conduct and content  while using the 
> > Products, and for any consequences thereof. You agree to  use the Products 
> > only for purposes that are legal, proper and in  accordance with the Terms and 
> > any applicable policies or guidelines  Google may make available. By way of 
> > example, and not as a limitation,  you agree that when using the Products or 
> > the Content, you will not:
> > (a) defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the  legal 
> > rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others;
> > (b) upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any 
> > inappropriate, defamatory, obscene, or unlawful content;
> > (c) upload, post, transmit or otherwise make available any content that  
> > infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other  proprietary 
> > right of any party, unless you are the owner of the rights,  or have the 
> > permission of the owner or other legal justification to use  such content;
> > (d) upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available messages  that 
> > promote pyramid schemes, chain letters, or disruptive commercial  messages or 
> > advertisements;
> > (e) upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any other  
> > content, message, or communication prohibited by applicable law, the  Terms or 
> > any applicable Product policies or guidelines;
> > (f) download any file posted by another that you know, or reasonably should 
> > know, cannot be legally distributed in such manner;
> > (g) impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any  author 
> > attributions or proprietary designations or labels of the origin  or source of 
> > Content, software or other material;
> > (h) restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Products or 
> > Google services;
> > (i) interfere with or disrupt Google services or servers or networks  
> > connected to Google services, or disobey any requirements, procedures,  
> > policies or regulations of networks connected to Google services;
> > (j) use any robot, spider, site search/retrieval application, or other  device 
> > to retrieve or index any portion of the Google services or  Content, or 
> > collect information about users for any unauthorized  purpose;
> > (k) submit content that falsely expresses or implies that such content is 
> > sponsored or endorsed by Google;
> > (l) create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent 
> > pretenses;
> > (m) promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities;
> > (n) promote physical harm or injury against any group or individual; or
> > (o) transmit any viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses, or any items of a 
> > destructive nature.
> > ...
> > 5. Additional Terms for Google Earth.
> > (a) Export Restrictions. The Google Earth software is subject to United  
> > States export controls. By using the Google Earth software, you agree to  use 
> > the software only for purposes that are legal, proper and in  accordance with 
> > these Terms. Specifically, you agree to comply with all  applicable export and 
> > reexport control laws and regulations, including  the Export Administration 
> > Regulations ("EAR")  maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and trade 
> > and economic  sanctions maintained by the Treasury Department's Office of 
> > Foreign  Assets Control.
> > 
> > This locks us seriously in and makes us more than vulnarable to legal attacks 
> > or restricting the service in a situation of conflict. There is no way to 
> > ensure that we cannot be attacked by that broad terms when we provide an 
> > international service (Crossforum).
> > 
> > I propose that we avoid using proprietary web services for our infrastructure 
> > completely and make them opt-in if(!) there is no similar free replacement. 
> > This also ensures that we can bend our solutions to our liking later-on by 
> > hacking upstream. Single vote server projects embedded in the network of 
> > course can still decide on their own, but we don't need it in Crossforum or 
> > any of the common network infrastructure imo.
> > 
> > What do you think? Do you want to have Google services available and
> > if so for which concrete use cases?



Originally posted to the mailing list of the Metagovernment Project:
http://metagovernment.org/mailman/listinfo/start_metagovernment.org