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What vendor's APIs would one use instead? Or does this just collapse down to "Don't use other company's APIs?"

Depends. If they are the only providers, you might want to avoid it. Take OSM - you could use the API with leaflet and their server, but if they can no longer afford the hosting costs and close the service, you could download a copy of the database yourself, and host your own copy.

As a rule of thumb, try to use something standardized, with more than one implementations.

That's a good policy (while noting the fact that setting the risk slider that conservative greatly curtails the software one is willing to create).

Well, that might be true. But if you base your whole project around somebodies service, and they change the ToS, or shut it down, what right do you have to complain? On the other hand, if you use GMaps only on the contact page - no big harm done. It's all about trade-offs.

The conservatives might want to contribute a little to a FOSS alternative, that might be of lower quality - and benefit all as a result. And cover all their bases as well.

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