2 replies to this topic

[Charles Syrett]

I've been working on a project for a publication that will be for sale. The client supplied me with a list of almost 300 places to locate on a world map. My work flow:

1. Recreate client list in Excel.
2. Structure the list so that it would work well in BatchGeo.
3. Run the list through BatchGeo.
4. Edit some places by determining their more precise locations on Google Earth and entering lat-long coordinates on the Excel list.
5. Run the edited list through BatchGeo again and export as kml.
6. Use GIS to convert kml file to projected shapefiles.
7. Use MaPublisher and FreeHand (as well as Natural Earth data for the basemap) to create the map.

Here's my question: Do I have to acknowledge Google in any way (since this is a commercial product)? The only way I was able to create the dataset for the client's places list was by using the geocoding built into Google Maps and Google Earth. I skimmed the Google page on terms of service, but couldn't see anything that quite addresses this.

Charles Syrett
Map Graphics
http://www.mapgraphics.com

[David Medeiros]

If they don't specifically spell that use out and require credit than I say not. Although you are making some use of a service they provide, the information is factual info that is "in the world" so to speak and not the specific result of their service alone. And since you are not including a screen grab of their maps or sat images you are not including any product of theirs in your map. This is essentially the same as looking the location up in a phone book that happens to carry lat/long for their addresses : )

[Charles Syrett]

Thanks, David. That's the common-sense conclusion I came to as well. But with legal stuff, you never do know, do you?

Charles Syrett
Map Graphics
http://www.mapgraphics.com