When Google Maps Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade. Flightstats' experience switching from Google Maps to Open Source solutions. 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/sotm12

2. Following the Money
• A year ago, Google announced they would
be charging ($$$) for their maps API
(or adding advertising to free users)
• Flightstats was a huge user of Google Maps
• We started evaluating alternatives

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
• Three basemaps: street, satellite, terrain
• Poor separation of maps from API
• Somewhat automobile centric

5. Maps in 3 Movements
Map Imagery Geography
Maps & Info & Routes
Data
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. Further Info on APIs
• We decided on Leaflet, but your needs may
be different
• No regrets!
• http://www.netmagazine.com/features/
top-seven-alternatives-google-maps-api
• http://www.slideshare.net/wmleler/
opensourcebridge2012

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

10. Someone Else’s Server
• Almost all map tile servers are unsecured
• You are identified by the referrer header
• OK for low volume use
• No reliability guarantees
• Legal Issues?

11. What We Used
• Wanted our own servers
• Used Amazon S3 and CloudFront to store
map tiles in a directory structure (slippy)
• Only worked because we don’t need higher
zoom levels (we go to 11, max)
• Will eventually switch to a caching tile
server using MBtiles format (TileStache?)

12. Our Favorite Maps
• Stamen Design Terrain map (US only)
• Mapbox Terrain
• University of Heidelberg Open Map Surfer
• NASA Blue Marble
• GeoIQ Acetate Terrain (background)
• our own maps
• All open (Creative Commons)

13. Workshop
• “Powerful Mapping Applications with Open
Source Tools”
• At NACIS conference in one week
• In conjunction with TriMet

14. Thoughts
• There is huge demand for information
about alternatives to Google Maps
• The Open Source community is in danger
of losing this opportunity
• Need an easy, all-in-one solution
• API, maps, traffic, routing, weather, etc.
• Help switching

15. http://www.slideshare.net/wmleler/sotm12
http://flightstats.com
http://flightstats-inc.com