Comments on: Google Could Learn from Shakespeare http://crastinate.com/2008/05/30/google-could-learn-from-shakespeare/ A Blog by Ely Rosenstock Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:26:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Reddit Opens Up « Crastinate http://crastinate.com/2008/05/30/google-could-learn-from-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Reddit Opens Up « Crastinate Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:39:02 +0000 http://crastinate.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-26 [...] step today and opened up their algorithm of how they rank stories to the public. I’ve written before about how opening your site’s code to the public can be risky. The real threat with Reddit is [...] [...] step today and opened up their algorithm of how they rank stories to the public. I’ve written before about how opening your site’s code to the public can be risky. The real threat with Reddit is [...]

]]> By: Cobas http://crastinate.com/2008/05/30/google-could-learn-from-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Cobas Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:52:40 +0000 http://crastinate.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-28 I stand corrected. :) Pretty cool that they've released their code. When I went to read about Platform I thought it was just a comprehensive API, not the whole kitten-kaboodle. I stand corrected. :)
Pretty cool that they’ve released their code. When I went to read about Platform I thought it was just a comprehensive API, not the whole kitten-kaboodle.

]]> By: Ely Rosenstock http://crastinate.com/2008/05/30/google-could-learn-from-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Ely Rosenstock Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:01:18 +0000 http://crastinate.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-27 Facebook actually has gone open source (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/02/facebook-turns-platfrom-open-source-via-fbopen/). The code might not be completely available like other sites, but according to Techcrunch, it's open source. Facebook actually has gone open source (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/02/facebook-turns-platfrom-open-source-via-fbopen/). The code might not be completely available like other sites, but according to Techcrunch, it’s open source.

]]> By: Cobas http://crastinate.com/2008/05/30/google-could-learn-from-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Cobas Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:35:49 +0000 http://crastinate.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-25 Don't confuse releasing an API with "going open source." Facebook isn't open source; they released an API for developers to use. The distinction is huge. An API isn't exactly source code. It is the ability to call functions within the platform the API was designed for. It is, essentially, a protocol for doing things. For example: Facebook didn't release their algorithms for how it figures out who your friends might be. But they might have given the ability to developers to call their findPotentialFriends function. I don't know how findPotentialFriends is implemented and Facebook sure isn't telling me. They're simply making me a promise: if you call this function with the parameters we tell you to call it with, we'll give you information in return. In that sense, it is still very much a closed garden. Facebook dictates how and when you can use their API. If they don't like a particular application, they can shut your API key off. If they don't think anyone will use a feature they can deprecate it. Actually, even if they KNOW people are using a feature, if they think it will take too much money away from them they can stop developers from calling specific functions. A closed API isn't a democracy. A closed API is a dictatorship: you use it on the terms of the owner at the owners good-will, and the owner can stop you from using it at any time. Don’t confuse releasing an API with “going open source.” Facebook isn’t open source; they released an API for developers to use. The distinction is huge.

An API isn’t exactly source code. It is the ability to call functions within the platform the API was designed for. It is, essentially, a protocol for doing things.

For example: Facebook didn’t release their algorithms for how it figures out who your friends might be. But they might have given the ability to developers to call their findPotentialFriends function. I don’t know how findPotentialFriends is implemented and Facebook sure isn’t telling me. They’re simply making me a promise: if you call this function with the parameters we tell you to call it with, we’ll give you information in return.

In that sense, it is still very much a closed garden. Facebook dictates how and when you can use their API. If they don’t like a particular application, they can shut your API key off. If they don’t think anyone will use a feature they can deprecate it. Actually, even if they KNOW people are using a feature, if they think it will take too much money away from them they can stop developers from calling specific functions.

A closed API isn’t a democracy. A closed API is a dictatorship: you use it on the terms of the owner at the owners good-will, and the owner can stop you from using it at any time.

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