Virtual Earth provides the power behind Windows Live Local, an online mapping service that enables users to search, discover, explore, plan, and share information about specific locations. By using traditional road maps, labeled aerial photo views, and low-angle high-resolution aerial photos, Virtual Earth provides unique opportunities for developers to incorporate both location and local search features into commercial applications.

The Virtual Earth Standard Control Software Development Kit (SDK) consists of a set of conceptual topics about Virtual Earth and a complete set of reference topics covering the Virtual Earth application programming interface (API). To use the control, you will need to link to the Virtual Earth Standard Jscript control and the Virtual Earth style sheet.

Virtual Earth Standard Control Use Requirements

You can use the Standard control free of charge on any non-commercial Web site. If you want to use Virtual Earth map and search technologies on a commercial Web site, you must use the Virtual Earth Commercial control. To learn more about the Virtual Earth Commercial control, see Virtual Earth Commercial SDK.

Note Virtual Earth is a beta product release, and Microsoft may change the API prior to the release of the final product.