

Yahoo API Updates - BOSS no longer free, WebSearch gone, changes to geo APIs - simonw
http://developer.yahoo.net/blog/archives/2010/08/api_updates_and_changes.html

======
simonw
"We are exploring a potential fee-based structure as well as ad-revenue models
that will enable BOSS developers to monetize their offerings. When we roll out
these changes, BOSS will no longer be a free service to developers."

Seems fair enough to me, depending on how the pricing looks. This will affect
DuckDuckGo which I believe is built on top of BOSS.

"Several search-related web services will continue to be supported, but
strictly through YQL. These include the Yahoo! Term Extraction Web Service,
Related Suggestion, and Spelling Suggestion. Other non-BOSS search APIs such
as Web Search, Image Search, News Search and Site Explorer APIs will shut down
with no further support in YQL. "

No more web search API is unfortunate.

"On October 1, 2010, we will close the SearchMonkey developer tool, gallery,
and app preferences."

I have to admit I never quite figured out what SearchMonkey was for.

"We will be evaluating all our Geo, Maps, and Local APIs--updating or shutting
down some of them, and working with our strategic partner, Nokia, on others.
We will work with our developer community to ensure a smooth transition in all
instances and we will share more details about these decisions in September."

This sent a shiver down me. After avoiding Yahoo! GeoPlanet for a few years
out of fear it might get shut down, I finally decided to go full-hog with it
on several recent projects (since Twitter and Foursquare had bet on it, so I
figured it was probably safe). I really hope they don't kill it off - it's an
incredibly useful API.

------
mgrouchy
Doesn't DuckDuckGo use YahooBOSS and/or The Search API? Will this effect
development(or the business) of DDG? DDG is awesome, so I'm just curious here.

Edit: I am aware DDG uses other sources, just curious how this affects things.

~~~
covercash
Gabriel will be on TWiT tonight, hopefully this topic is brought up.

"I will be live on @twit at ~5PM ET with @ambermac talking about DuckDuckGo.
Thx @AndyCrofford for the intro. <http://live.twit.tv> " -@yegg

~~~
mgrouchy
I didn't know this was happening today! Thanks!

~~~
covercash
I went ahead and submitted it to HN in order to get the word out...

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1611966>

------
carson
Site Explorer going away is going to make people sad too. I wonder how many
non-pc users are going to be frustrated by the Bing webmaster tools requiring
silverlight.

~~~
bruceboughton
Silverlight is supported by MS on Macs and by Mono Moonlight on Linux.

~~~
carson
The last time I tried it wouldn't work on a Mac. It seemed to require a very
recent version of Silverlight and it acted like it was going to do something
then gave me a bunch of blank boxes.

------
dstein
That's why you don't rely on free third party API's.

I'm seriously thinking of starting a Freebase alternative, but where you can
pay to replicate and run your own copy of the database. Anybody think this
would catch on?

~~~
epi0Bauqu
Can't you already do this with the Freebase dump system?

~~~
dstein
They have dumps available, but their application and server are proprietary.
And now that Google controls them I want nothing to do with it (other than
maybe using one of their dumps to start me off).

~~~
epi0Bauqu
Gotcha. I've also thought about producing similar dumps. Feel free to email to
discuss.

------
photon_off
This sucks. And it's going to break a ton of yahoo pipes.

Is there any free web search API?

~~~
epi0Bauqu
Bing's API: <http://www.bing.com/developers>

~~~
sh1mmer
Disclaimer: I work for Yahoo! I also have no insight into the Bing API
roadmap.

To quote from the Bing Terms of service:

3\. CODE OF CONDUCT / RESTRICTIONS ON USE.

You will not, and will not permit your users or other third parties to: (o)
commercialize (i.e., sell, rent, or lease) Bing results;

12\. PRE-RELEASE. The API (and related services) are pre-release versions.
They may not work the way a final version of the API (and such related
services) would. We may change the API (or these services) for a final,
commercial version. We also may not release a commercial version, in our sole
discretion.

As I read these conditions, so far the Bing API seems similar to how the BOSS
API was before this post. Bing may results not be "commercialized". We've
announced that ours is going commercial BOSS, that seems like a good thing for
actual business rather than just hacking.

------
underdown
This seems like an excellent opportunity for someone like blekko to fill the
void site explorer's closing will leave.

------
vladocar
F __k! I was building one search engine based on BOSS! Who will going to repay
my time and energy?! I hate when the big companies decide just to unplug the
product or worse "it's no longer free". I feel like a full,.

~~~
sanswork
I demand you repay my time and energy.

I refuse to repay your time and energy.

~~~
vladocar
I don't demand anything, I just feel fucked.

