5 ms·

$0.50 per 1000 maps is way better pricing than $4 per 1000 maps, yet still a lot more expensive than using OpenStreetMap even if you factor in CPU and bandwidth

$0.50 per 1000 maps is way better pricing than $4 per 1000 maps, yet still a lot more expensive than using OpenStreetMap even if you factor in CPU and bandwidth costs to run your own data/tile servers. Assuming OSM is "good enough" for your usage when compared to Google Maps, I don't think this pricing change really modifies the decision much for a lot of people. This may slow down the tide of those switching over but I don't think it will reverse or stop it.

raverbashing 14y ago
And of course, I guess most of the ones that went to OSM after google started charging aren't gonna say "oh well now it's cheap let's go back"" Google seem to have a special talent in alienating their customers
crikli 14y ago
Wonder if you still have to pay $10K a year just to get SSL. This is one of the biggest reasons, ok, the only reason we've used Bing or OSM for many of our clients.
- kingnothing 14y ago
  I was curious about that, too, because it's the same reason we use Bing instead of Google Maps. Their FAQ made it sound like it's free, but I didn't do any serious investigating yet.
- chrisbroadfoot 14y ago
  SSL is available in the free API. Just load the API from here: https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false (set sensor to true if you're using any kind of geolocation)
  - crikli 14y ago
    Thanks! This must have been a development within the last year or so.
    - chrisbroadfoot 14y ago
      It was added in March 2011 :) http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2011/03/maps-apis-over-ssl-now-available-to-all.html http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2011/03/maps-apis-ov...
technoslut 14y ago
OSM will eventually become the standard and Google has, somewhat, contributed to that. Google may have messed up, initially, but the future of mapping solutions never belonged to anyone.
- dotmike 14y ago
  I think OSM will gain even more momentum as new open source tools to trace arieal satellite imagery before more abundant. IMHO, the future belongs to a curated crowd source content.
  - antidoh 14y ago
    Maybe it's just early days, but most of the time when I've tried OSM the sought address was shown in the wrong location, sometimes by blocks.
    - dotmike 14y ago
      Yeah, that's true. There are still gaps in the set, but it has come a long way in the last few years.
- ashconnor 14y ago
  True but I think this price change is purely to stop people who are considering moving (because of high prices) from doing so.
stickfigure 14y ago
Agreed, this is too little too late. We're about to roll out a major maps-based feature that we've been working frantically on for the last several weeks (a yelp-like discovery system for amateur athletic events). Despite having extensive past development experience with Google Maps, the price forced us to go with an OSM-based system (MapQuest tiles + Leaflet). The surprise? Leaflet/OSM is actually a lot nicer to develop against than Google Maps. Leaflet is a superior API, and the fact that it's open source means I'm never left wondering "WTF?" when there is some strange drawing glitch. I'm never going back. There are a handful of features that Google Maps provides that OSM does not, and the quality of the Google geocoder is slightly superior. But for drawing a map and icons/polygons, scrolling to determine search bounds, etc, OSM is a superior solution. I would never have discovered this without getting "pushed out of the nest" by price. One catch: To do HTTPS, we have to proxy the tiles. No big deal.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- stickfigure 14y ago
  ...and now it's deployed. You can see it here: https://www.voo.st/ https://www.voo.st/
  - ak217 14y ago
    Just wanted to mention that your site rocks, I really look forward to using it to discover athletic events around where I live!
  - comex 14y ago
    FYI, that page has bizarre scrolling behavior on an iPhone - in case that matters to you.
    - stickfigure 14y ago
      Unfortunately mobile devices handle the transition of the map element from position:static to position:fixed poorly. It's something we still have to figure out. Thanks for the heads up though!
arihant 14y ago
Google Maps almost without exception kicks ass of all other mapping solutions almost throughout Asia - this includes Bing, OSM, Nokia and Blackberry maps. Even in a handful of countries where other maps are good, Google Maps still beats them with their local business information.
- asto 14y ago
  I don't know why this has been downvoted but it's true in many parts of India. Don't know about other Asian countries.
- imrehg 14y ago
  Yup, Taiwan as well. I contribute to OSM, but still got to say, it is utterly useless over here, while Google Maps have pretty much everything plus local quirks covered.
- GFischer 14y ago
  OpenStreetMap has superior information for my city (Montevideo, Uruguay), especially housing numbers. Though for businesses and such, Google Maps is better (and I like the maps and the way they render, too). This thread makes me want to resurrect one of my side projects (mapping apartments for rent and for sale, the Craigslist equivalent here is lacking on several points, although it is better than Craigslist). Edit: as it says here http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4151512 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4151512 OSM has worse data in some places, and better in others.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

raverbashing 14y ago

And of course, I guess most of the ones that went to OSM after google started charging aren't gonna say "oh well now it's cheap let's go back"" Google seem to have a special talent in alienating their customers

crikli 14y ago

Wonder if you still have to pay $10K a year just to get SSL. This is one of the biggest reasons, ok, the only reason we've used Bing or OSM for many of our clients.

kingnothing 14y ago
I was curious about that, too, because it's the same reason we use Bing instead of Google Maps. Their FAQ made it sound like it's free, but I didn't do any serious investigating yet.
chrisbroadfoot 14y ago
SSL is available in the free API. Just load the API from here: https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false (set sensor to true if you're using any kind of geolocation)
- crikli 14y ago
  Thanks! This must have been a development within the last year or so.
  - chrisbroadfoot 14y ago
    It was added in March 2011 :) http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2011/03/maps-apis-over-ssl-now-available-to-all.html http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2011/03/maps-apis-ov...

technoslut 14y ago

OSM will eventually become the standard and Google has, somewhat, contributed to that. Google may have messed up, initially, but the future of mapping solutions never belonged to anyone.

dotmike 14y ago
I think OSM will gain even more momentum as new open source tools to trace arieal satellite imagery before more abundant. IMHO, the future belongs to a curated crowd source content.
- antidoh 14y ago
  Maybe it's just early days, but most of the time when I've tried OSM the sought address was shown in the wrong location, sometimes by blocks.
  - dotmike 14y ago
    Yeah, that's true. There are still gaps in the set, but it has come a long way in the last few years.
ashconnor 14y ago
True but I think this price change is purely to stop people who are considering moving (because of high prices) from doing so.

stickfigure 14y ago

Agreed, this is too little too late. We're about to roll out a major maps-based feature that we've been working frantically on for the last several weeks (a yelp-like discovery system for amateur athletic events). Despite having extensive past development experience with Google Maps, the price forced us to go with an OSM-based system (MapQuest tiles + Leaflet). The surprise? Leaflet/OSM is actually a lot nicer to develop against than Google Maps. Leaflet is a superior API, and the fact that it's open source means I'm never left wondering "WTF?" when there is some strange drawing glitch. I'm never going back. There are a handful of features that Google Maps provides that OSM does not, and the quality of the Google geocoder is slightly superior. But for drawing a map and icons/polygons, scrolling to determine search bounds, etc, OSM is a superior solution. I would never have discovered this without getting "pushed out of the nest" by price. One catch: To do HTTPS, we have to proxy the tiles. No big deal.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
stickfigure 14y ago
...and now it's deployed. You can see it here: https://www.voo.st/ https://www.voo.st/
- ak217 14y ago
  Just wanted to mention that your site rocks, I really look forward to using it to discover athletic events around where I live!
- comex 14y ago
  FYI, that page has bizarre scrolling behavior on an iPhone - in case that matters to you.
  - stickfigure 14y ago
    Unfortunately mobile devices handle the transition of the map element from position:static to position:fixed poorly. It's something we still have to figure out. Thanks for the heads up though!

arihant 14y ago

Google Maps almost without exception kicks ass of all other mapping solutions almost throughout Asia - this includes Bing, OSM, Nokia and Blackberry maps. Even in a handful of countries where other maps are good, Google Maps still beats them with their local business information.

asto 14y ago
I don't know why this has been downvoted but it's true in many parts of India. Don't know about other Asian countries.
imrehg 14y ago
Yup, Taiwan as well. I contribute to OSM, but still got to say, it is utterly useless over here, while Google Maps have pretty much everything plus local quirks covered.
GFischer 14y ago
OpenStreetMap has superior information for my city (Montevideo, Uruguay), especially housing numbers. Though for businesses and such, Google Maps is better (and I like the maps and the way they render, too). This thread makes me want to resurrect one of my side projects (mapping apartments for rent and for sale, the Craigslist equivalent here is lacking on several points, although it is better than Craigslist). Edit: as it says here http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4151512 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4151512 OSM has worse data in some places, and better in others.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]