June 27th update. Yesterday Google replied to my request for an additional allocation of free Google map API downloads by offering a credit of $1,000 per month for two months. This credit is for the purpose of supporting the Pawnee Fire map I produce. Unfortunately this credit is not nearly enough to cover the hits my fire map gets.
So far in June Gmap4 has been opened more than 717,000 times which means the Google map API has been downloaded that many times. 717,000 - 28,000 (free API downloads per month) = 689,000. The cost for that many downloads at $7/1000 is $4,823. Subtract $1,000 credit and we get $3,823. If Google's new pricing policy was already in effect, then I would owe Google about $4,000 for API downloads during June.
Thank you to everyone who indicated that they would be willing to pay to use Gmap4. However, I have a better idea. I plan to build a new online map using Leaflet which is a free open-source map API. Work starts today. Goal #1 is to build a *very* basic fire map. Hopefully I will have something ready to go 'live' by the morning of July 16. The new name will be GISsurfer.
I do not bear Google any ill will nor should you. Each and every business is entitled to set the price for the service they provide.
Gmap4 Facebook pageMappingSupport Twitter feedJoseph Elfelt, Gmap4 developer
Redmond, WA