[drats_users] Map Downloader Question

[Dan Smith]

> Google jus updated their API agreement last month. I don't know if
> its any better.

Wow.  Actually, the biggest restriction has been lifted.  They now allow
the map tiles to be used in a non-web application.  That's huge.

The next impediment is item 5.3 in their TOS:

> 5.3 You agree not to access (or attempt to access) any of the
> Services by any means other than through the interface that is
> provided by Google, unless you have been specifically allowed to do
> so in a separate agreement with Google. You specifically agree not to
> access (or attempt to access) any of the Services through any
> automated means (including use of scripts or web crawlers) and shall
> ensure that you comply with the instructions set out in any
> robots.txt file present on the Services.

This means that I can't directly address their map images from D-RATS
because I have to use their API.  Their API is only available in
JavaScript (IIRC) because it's only intended for web applications.  I
could, however, write a web component that sits on a web server that
uses their API to get the image URL and then sends it off to D-RATS.
Somewhat of a "Yep, their API gives me the URL I expected" sort of thing
to appease the rules.

Anyway, I'll dig a little deeper and see what I can do.  Definite
possibilities here, though.

Thanks for the heads-up!

-- 
Dan Smith
dsmith#danplanet.com, s/#/@/
www.danplanet.com
KK7DS