Do You Recommend Google Maps API or Microsoft Live Maps?

KSobby writes "The organization that I work for is going to be redoing our website in .Net/AJAX. On the site, our members will have profile pages listing where their organizations are located (our members are scattered throughout the world) as well as other pertinent information for the general public. It is a non-profit organization, so funds are tight. My question to you: If we include maps, which API do we go with: Google or Microsoft? We're in a Microsoft environment (we're non-profit and Microsoft basically gives us everything for free) but the ubiquity of Google may be enough to sway us. Has anyone used either extensively? Used them in conjunction with .Net?"

Comments

FC?

[gcnaddict]

Sounds like you're a Microsoft Featured Community.

If that's the case, stick with Microsoft's implementation. You'd end up being more loyal, and Microsoft likes loyalty.

I would like to counter-offer

[GweeDo]

As a proud member of the OSS/Linux community I would like to counter Microsoft's offer to you and offer you an environment that is free as well. As an added benefit, ours will always be free, you won't have to hope that we offer you another free upgrade down the road:
Linux

Uniform Experience.

[twitter]

If [you are a "featured community", stick with Microsoft's implementation. You'd end up being more loyal, and Microsoft likes loyalty.

When you sleep on a bed of nails, you might as well sit on broken bottles?

What kind of threat does M$ really have here? If they yank their second rate software, the questioner can move to free software.

Re:go with google

[Anonymous Coward]

You must smell very bad :) Well, this is the guy you're replying to...

Re:Compatibility

[Anonymous Coward]

They are not the same product and it sounds like you haven't even used Live before.

Although thats gotta be a tough choice for a lot of open-source users since they never get to experience a lot of software that others do or get the extra features. Gotta suck to always have a computer that is handicap in the experience they get to see and use.

psst, just because they are free, you are not

[Locutus]

MS may give you the apps for almost free by know that you are basically caged in by accepting. I've even heard that local libraries get cheap software from Microsoft but are restricted from using any open source software in the contract. Not sure if that is the same deal you got but either way, know you are in a cage when using Microsoft software. And just because you have company in there, it does not justify the fact you're still caged. IMO.

also, WTF? You picked Microsoft because "everyone else uses...blah blah blah" so why are you questioning the Google mapping API choice? If you follow your previous logic with the mapping API's and you even said yourself that everyone else is using Google. So use Google already instead of posting this silly question to /. or are you just looking to stir the /. pot up? Maybe you're looking for some fodder for an article or something that'll get you page hits in a ZiffDavis web site or blog? Like I said, WTF over?

LoB