ArcGIS Viewer for Flex - Google Maps.

Question

Hi everybody,

Actually, I have two questions to ask :
[INDENT]1. Is Google Maps API for Flash usable despite the fact that it has been deprecated ?
2. Could anyone please specify the conditions in details for Google Maps use in The Flex context ? and is there legal constraints that prohibit using Google Maps on Flex ?[/INDENT]
Regards.

El_BoukfaouiReda · Answer

Thanks a lot GISProgrammer 9, now we talk !
 
[INDENT]I have also read the google licensing agreements  last week and I did find anything about the Google Maps violation in relation with Esri's terms.
Actually, I will ask Derek about that on this thread : http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/51953-Google-Maps-in-Flex-Viewer
He seems to know a lot about Google's terms of service.  
And I would be glad if someone from those persons who had worked on Esri licensing terms could answer my question.[/INDENT]

Regards.

MLowry · Answer

First, this question has been asked in May 2010 and we are in June 2012, so a lot of things have changed meantime.

I don't think anything has changed in regards to using Google tiles in the Esri Sample Flex Viewer since then, but of course I might be wrong.
Posted by me in March 2012 in response to a very similar thread (http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/51953-Google-Maps-in-Flex-Viewer😞Check out these threads:
http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/49070-Is-there-a-way-to-add-google-maps-basemaps-to-flex-viewer?highlight=google
http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/49032-Embedded-Google-Maps-Missing-Tiles-in-Internet-Explorer-CSS?highlight=google

Posted in that thread in March of 2012 by an Esri employee, Derek Law:Hi Will,
As the other referenced threads have indicated, using Google Maps in the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is a violation of Google's terms of service. Therefore, while technically it is possible, legally the answer is "no".
Hope this helps,

Second, You didn't answer the two questions, you just told me that there is some king of Google licensing agreements. I wanna know what are the violation terms if there is a violation or what are the exactly terms that prohibit using Google Maps on Flex ?

Sorry about not answering the questions, I was just trying to help you. Hopefully I do a better job this time.
Google pays lots of money for their basemap production. Microsoft pays lots of money for their basemap production. Microsoft Bing Maps and Google Maps are in direct market competition. Esri chose to team up with Microsoft Bing Maps instead of Google. Sometimes, this creates legal issues when using Esri products and mixing them with Google products. I am not a lawyer or specialist on license agreements, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night and I also read all of the Google Maps API licensing information I could find.

Nowhere could I find where it states that is is against their policy to use their maps API in Flex, but they never specify using Esri's ArcGIS Viewer For Flex framework, so maybe that is what causes it to be against the licensing.
why is this possible with JavaScript and Silverlight and Flex no ?

Oh, I actually though it was against the Google licensing to use any sort of google tiles in any web mapping application that is based on Esri's API's like silverlight, JS, or Flex. If this is not the case, then I see no reason why Flex would be the one platform that is was prohibited on, and not on SL and JS.  I must be mistaken. This issue doesn't affect me personally because everything I do is internal only which is strictly clearly against google licensing. 
and is Google Maps API for Flash usable despite the fact that it has been deprecated ?

It's not that obvious my friend...

Yes, it is still useable for now, according to Google here.
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/flash/
Which states-
Note: The Google Maps API for Flash has been officially deprecated as of September 2, 2011. The API will continue to work as per our deprecation policy, but we encourage you to migrate your applications to version 3 of the Maps JavaScript API.

El_BoukfaouiReda · Answer

Hi GISProgrammer9,

First, this question has been asked in May 2010 and we are in June 2012, so a lot of things have changed meantime.

Second, You didn't answer the two questions, you just told me that there is some king of Google licensing agreements. I wanna know what are the violation terms if there is a violation or what are the exactly terms that prohibit using Google Maps on Flex ? why is this possible with JavaScript and Silverlight and Flex no ?
and is Google Maps API for Flash usable despite the fact that it has been deprecated ?

It's not that obvious my friend...