
Google Releases API for Website Optimizer: A/B & Multivariate Testing for All - wgj
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_releases_api_for_website_optimizer_ab_multi.php
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fookyong
this has rather large implications for any app developer thinking of entering
(or already operating...) in this space.

the one area that I thought a standalone app provider could trump Google's A/B
testing tools is to build an API so we don't have to use a clunky web
interface... and now Google has done it themselves.

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patio11
Disclaimer: I wrote an OSS alternative to Website Optimizer (GWO).

GWO is probably the worst Google-branded software I have ever had the
displeasure of using. The end-user experience is terrible (page redirects to
do variations). The developer experience is like pulling teeth -- I've written
an A/B testing library before and I'm not even sure I understand them, but if
I do understand them, it looks like it is probably going to take close to a
day of work just to do something stupidly trivial like varying a call to
action on your site.

Their quick start guide gets you about as far as authenticating to the
service, which is wonderful, but you didn't crack open your IDE in the hopes
of making some sweet authentication code, now did you?

Having the API doesn't reduce the risk in giving your conversion data to your
#1 source of traffic and (possibly) your biggest single vendor.

And to put a cherry on top, you're limited to 10k accesses a day, which is
suitable for a hobby site but which will be quickly exhausted in many actual
businesses. (Some quick back of the envelope math suggests I'd be on the
bubble.)

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jolie
Huh! I did not know that. Re: the 10k access problem, that would completely
negate the use of the API for enterprise sites, would it not? When I wrote the
post, I said that enterprise would be the most likely users, too.

Not everything Google releases is a gem; disappointing to know that actual
users of GWO aren't impressed.

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amix
The documentation seems to be incomplete ( <http://code.google.com/intl/da-
DK/apis/analytics/docs/gwo/> ). It seems to mostly cover authentication and
reading of a feed?

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agotterer
Theres some expandable options on the left side with more details and
available calls. Try "standard tracking" for starters.

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mak2000
Full documentation here:
[http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/gwo/commonTasks.h...](http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/gwo/commonTasks.html)

