LifeinAsia - 3:31 pm on Mar 12, 2007 (gmt 0)

isync- you may want to re-read the OP's message. The issue at discussion is Google Maps, not sitemaps.

In regards to whether or not to take it out, determine if having it is a benefit to your users. Does it provide a specific use to them, or does it just make the page "pretty" for them? Are most of your users on dialup or using broadband? If broadband, another 50K is not going to be an issue.

As far as speeding up load time, there are tricks to use to have the rest of the page load while you're getting the map data.