I was just checking out googlealert.com (different than regular google alerts) and reading their FAQ: I wonder if google wouldn't be willing to provide DP with a high capacity API Key so that we can save our thousand queries / day for other google api projects. I wasn't aware that Google actually did anything like that before, but since they do, it might be worth checking out.
I might be mistaken but I think googlealert.com existed before Google introduced their own "Google Alerts." Maybe some sort of deal was struck to grant Google the rights to the idea, or simply a sign gratitude from Google.
Google staff do have a certain 'latitude' when it comes to development initiatives. Their own culture encourages exploration of new ideas, especially those related to information organization concepts. You never know - if Shawn asked for one in specific terms, and explained that it would be used exclusively by DP for evolution of new toolsets that leverage Google's existing and *emerging* technologies, they might accommodate him. Of course I'm only in a position to speculate, but DP wouldn't be the only one to gain from it. And Shawn certainly wouldn't be the first to make such arrangements with Google. Perhaps it's worth a try, though the actual approach would have to be made by Shawn as the author of the toolsets utilizing the provisional key. Just my 2 cents worth. Cheers, JL