Maps all broken: BillingNotEnabledMapError

[jhannah]

Hey @rspier, looks like your 2017 Google Maps API key is... unhappy. https://www.pm.org/groups/233.html

Google Maps JavaScript API error: BillingNotEnabledMapError
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/error-messages#billing-not-enabled-map-error
        console.warn("As of February 21st, 2024, google.maps.Marker is deprecated. Please use google.maps.marker.AdvancedMarkerElement instead. At this time, google.maps.Marker is not scheduled to be discontinued, but google.maps.marker.AdvancedMarkerElement is recommended over google.maps.Marker. While google.maps.Marker will continue to receive bug fixes for any major regressions, existing bugs in google.maps.Marker will not be addressed. At least 12 months notice will be given before support is discontinued. Please see https://developers.google.com/maps/deprecations for additional details and https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/advanced-markers/migration for the migration guide."));

lib/layout line 29.

Want me to do whatever to fix it? Or do you have a plan/strategy about what API keys and/or what JS commands we should be using? I'm happy to go in and stomp on it until it starts working again if you want.

[rspier]

There are two different problems there: 1- Whatever Google Cloud project our API key is associated with (and I can't figure out which one it is) doesn't have billing enabled, which is the big problem.

2. An API change related to markers.

I'd be happy for you to fix this. The easiest thing is just to drop the maps. Alternatively, switch to OpenStreetMap or some other free solution. https://www.cssscript.com/tag/world-map/ has some interesting simpler ones. I don't think we actually need fully interactive maps.

[sjn]

Fwiw, I think the map is a really nice feature, and useful for illustrating the global reach of the Perl/CPAN communities.

The map can also help facilitate one of the more fun and positive aspects that I've encountered in these communities, and that's the notion of "emergency socials" – when someone is traveling internationally, they can take a quick look at the map to see if there are other Perl Monger groups nearby, and consider inviting to a social gathering.

Enabling social events (and thereby create opportunities to make friends) is one of the most important features of any healthy community.

So please don't remove the map? :smile:

Instead, let's make it more useful (e.g. with more useful information connected to each group). :grin:

[rspier]

Hi @sjn . Thanks for volunteering to help.

What you say might have been true 20 years ago. Today, Perl Mongers is on life support. Only 37% of the websites currently (before this comment) listed for active groups actually returned a 200 HTTP response code. I have just marked all the groups with broken sites as inactive. Of the remaining groups, only about half have updated their websites in the past 4 years (according to the HTTP Last-Modified: header.). The rest I'm considering inactive too. Many of the remaining ones are also inactive, just can't be detected without visiting the site by hand.

Maps are not going to be what saves Perl Mongers.

Let's keep this issue on-topic of fixing or removing the maps.

-R

[sjn]

I have just marked all the groups with broken sites as inactive.

Great! A map should reflect reality.

Next steps are to figure out what can be done to help motivate people contribute something positive. A map should also contain actionable information and guides. (e.g. #193)

Of the remaining groups, only about half have updated their websites in the past 4 years (according to the HTTP Last-Modified: header.). The rest I'm considering inactive too. Many of the remaining ones are also inactive, just can't be detected without visiting the site by hand.

Good to know. There's already quite a body of knowledge on the topic of Open Source community metrics, that can not only be done to show where people can help, but also how they can help. (e.g. see https://chaoss.org, https://scorecard.dev and others).

Maps are not going to be what saves Perl Mongers.

Why assume we're talking of silver bullets?

Of course there is no single fix that can help get this community up on it's feet again. If you meet anyone that truly believes that "silver bullets" are the only thing worth looking for, then please feel free to berate them for their naïvety (here's a permission-slip, if you want it: :ticket: :grin: ). Those kind of people (and the black-and-white mindset they bring) need a LARTing, frankly.

Instead, let's look what can be done to improve what we have. There are many of small fixes that together can be done to make a positive difference. This is one of them.

And waaaay on the top this list, is that all of us stop making self-defeating assumptions like these.

So, why do I say this?

Because I'm interested in seeing the maps fixed, not removed.

[jhannah]

Working on maps is fun, so if nobody beats me to it I'll move us to OpenStreetMap. e.g. https://map.foodnotbombs.us/ I was poking at it on Sunday, but didn't get far enough for a branch yet. I should have the maps migrated over the next ~two weeks? I'm highly distracted by:

• Traveling for a funeral Wed-Sun.
• Juggling several potential new-hire pipelines trying to land a new job.