Joshua Weinberg sent me this note about PlaceBase and it's launch today of its Pushpin Google API compatible maps service:

Over the past eight months Google Maps has become a wildly popular platform for hobbyists creating Web based map applications in their spare time. Google Map’s popularity has primarily stemmed from its easy API, the great maps it produces and the generous non-commercial licensing terms offered by Google.

As its popularity soared, many professional developers searching for a mapping solution for commercial applications looked to Google Maps. While these developers loved the Google Maps output, the licensing and support were not appropriate for their needs. Particularly they found:

No support is available—even for a fee

All maps are branded “Powered by Google”

Google’s terms say they have the right to include advertising in the maps at any time and without notice.

Daily transactions are capped

Internal corporate applications can not be built because Google’s terms require that all uses of Google Maps be “freely accessible to end users.”

The API is subject to change at any time and there is no guarantee the applications built on the previous API will continue to work

Google Maps does not provide any provisions or upgrade path for advanced cartography features such as thematic mapping

Placebase, a five year old GIS company who has worked for Fannie Mae Foundation, UCLA and the Brookings Institution, saw this need and developed Pushpin LE. Pushpin LE will be launched on April 3rd at a mapping conference in San Francisco (Location Intelligence).