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by redis_mlc 2192 days ago
I write and maintain some OpenLayers API (OSM) Javascript, used in a product.

OpenLayers was selected after Google started charging 10x for their maps API, grayed out the existing tiles, then required a credit card on file. Since the API key can be "view sourced", that was totally a non-starter, along with the always-changing ToS. Way too many moving goal-posts.

(Part of the reason non-free is a problem is that any testing ends up costing money, and the more testing you do, the more $$, which is a disincentive to do testing. But just staying on top of lopsided ToS gets old fast when you can just replace it.)

Using a combination of OpenLayers and SO sample code, I've been able to do everything I wanted to do and am happy with the final result, but usually it's some of the toughest programming of the month.