Distro API keys and requirement to enable billing

[Evangelos Foutras]

The Geolocation API stopped working two days ago and has had a 100% error rate since then. I remember when I created the API keys for Arch Linux (back in 2013) there was no need to enable billing.

What are distros shipping Chromium expected to do to ensure the Geolocation API keeps working?

[Lei Zhang]

I'll ask the Geolocation API folks about this.

FWIW, I looked at the history of
https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/api-keys, and the 2012
version of the page said the Google Maps Geolocation API requires
enabling billing, just like it does today.

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[Evangelos Foutras]

On 20 July 2018 at 22:40, Lei Zhang <the...@google.com> wrote:

I'll ask the Geolocation API folks about this.

Much appreciated; would be great if there was no need to enable billing. :-)

 

FWIW, I looked at the history of
https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/api-keys, and the 2012
version of the page said the Google Maps Geolocation API requires
enabling billing, just like it does today.

I had asked Paweł about this; quoting my question and his reply below:

On 8 January 2013 at 23:43, Paweł Hajdan <pha...@google.com> wrote:

On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 1:29 PM, Evangelos Foutras <evan...@foutrelis.com> wrote:

Another point I need clarification on has to do with the Google Maps

Geolocation API. The API Keys page [1] states that it "requires enabling

billing but is free to use" and that I "can skip this one, in which case

geolocation features of Chrome will not work". Is that going to be an

issue assuming I don't wish to enable billing?

Right, that one is confusing. You shouldn't need to enable billing. It should start working after I increase your quota. In the general case the API Keys page is still correct though (i.e. without quota increase you would need billing).

[Lei Zhang]

On Fri, Jul 20, 2018 at 1:39 PM, Evangelos Foutras
<evan...@foutrelis.com> wrote:
> Much appreciated; would be great if there was no need to enable billing. :-)

If you can send me your project ID off list, I can try asking the
Geolocation API folks. I think you can find the ID on
https://cloud.google.com/console .

[Eric Hameleers]

Op vrijdag 20 juli 2018 19:26:40 UTC+2 schreef Evangelos Foutras:

The Geolocation API stopped working two days ago and has had a 100% error rate since then. I remember when I created the API keys for Arch Linux (back in 2013) there was no need to enable billing.

What are distros shipping Chromium expected to do to ensure the Geolocation API keeps working?

I provide Chromium binary packages for Slackware.

I received many emails requesting me to enable billing for the use of Google Maps platform (the geolocation API) and I refused. The reason is that the emails and the related documentation make it clear that the use is NOT free. Every call into the API costs money and I would get a monthly amount of "freebie API calls" but would automatically be billed for the surplus. The emails also stated that the current use of my Slackware Chromium API key showed that I would exceed the "freebie amount" which means I would start getting bills.

My Chromium package for Slackware is a volunteer's effort. I want people to enjoy Chromium on Slackware, the more important because I offer a 32bit Chromium whereas Chrome is only available in 64bit edition, and more people than you think still run a 32bit OS by choice.

However I am not willing to pay for such usage. I would lose money because of the package's popularity.

So, I have not enabled billing and accept that the resulting diminished Chromium featureset is negatively impacting the users.

If there's a way around this situation I would be glad to hear.

Regards, Eric

[Lei Zhang]

Hi Eric,

Please see my earlier reply on this email thread and send me your
project ID off list.

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