Last week Matt Mullenweg asked me a few questions about the Yahoo! Web Search API and Yahoo! Site Search. It turned out that he was looking for a better way to provide search for WordPress.org and thought we had just what he needed.
A few days later, I find out that he was right. In New WP.org Search, he writes about implementing the new search support:
I went to the site to see how much of a pain it would be so I could start properly procrastinating, but I was taken aback by how incredibly easy it was to get an application ID and start getting the results back as simple XML. I began hacking on it right then. It was about 5 minutes to set up a search form with URIs the way I wanted, 7 minutes to get the XML and parse it out, 5 minutes to write in some paging, and then about 20 minutes tweaking the search page to make it look a little better. The result is the new search.wordpress.org WordPress Search.
He closes by saying:
Yahoo deserves major kudos for opening up their information in such a free way and making it so easy that it’s taken me longer to write this post than start using their API.
That's great to hear. Over and over, when I run into people who've tried out our search APIs, they tell me the same thing: it's easy.
Simplicity was our goal in designing the APIs.
Posted by jzawodn at June 20, 2005 09:03 AM
But what about the rate-limiting per month? What after the 5000 search requests are exhausted?
Very well done api.
Very good search engine, I prefer over google.
I don't like and I don't use http://www.yahoo.com/ ...at all.
A search API is a wonderful. Google's is nice, Yahoo's seems to be pretty decent (I haven't used it).
Where's the advertising API? It takes about 90 seconds to sign up and start getting access to advertising data via Google's API. It's SOAP, so pretty much every programming language besides BASIC and Forth are supported. Google has loads of documentation online regarding their ad API program. And it's free.
Yahoo has apparently had an advertising API for like 4 years now, but what does it do? What does it take to get access to it? What data can you get back from it? How much does it cost? Can I use it to get 3rd party access to others' data? Are there any other restrictions on using it?
All I could find about it was this page:
http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/af/yws.php
If I email xml-ysm@yahoo-inc.com and ask the above questions, how long before I get a response? Will all my questions be answered, or will I get more questions back then answers?
I'm seriously not trolling. One area where Google *really* outshines Yahoo is in the data access area. Send an email to the above address and ask to get access to the Yahoo ad API. Take a moment to read through the response. And then ask yourself "Why don't they just put all that info on a web page somewhere out in the open?" That you have to email someone to begin with is odd (and annoying). What is Yahoo hiding? Why are they being so cagey?
Compare that email response to this:
http://www.google.com/apis/adwords/
Step back and take in the Yahoo API page (and, I suppose the one other page regarding their API). Add in the email repsonse. Now take in all the info on Google's API. Notice a difference? Just a small one, maybe?
There's just no comparison whatsoever. Google is open, free and easy with their data sharing. Yahoo is, being kind, not so much any of those things.
And, finally, this is an interesting read:
http://www.smart-keywords.com/2005/03/is-yahoo-destined-to-be-next-looksmart.htm
So is this:
http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3494426
I haven't heard any stories about Google pulling API access for any of its advertisers. What did happen to WebSideStory's API access anyway?
Its even cooler to hear that Apple is supporting it for their blogs and such. I sure wish I could afford a Mac, those Powerbooks are totally awesome.
I'm a larger fan of web api's which use REST requests, a lot easier to work with.
SlingBox
Very good search engine. But i prefer over google.
I don't like and I don't use http://www.yahoo.com/
I Use http://msn.com sometime to!
Yeah its nice but I still prefer google.
Very nice done api.
Perfect search engine, I very prefer over google.
hello,
this step was good..today WP has been one of the major blogging media on the net.
thanks to the founder!
Simply fantastic. I always wanted to learn more on this VERY subject. Any idea on a resource that will hold more?
google is leading for many years, but how many years of leading remains to google ?
Google's is nice, Yahoo's seems to be pretty decent.Really nice search engine.A search API is a wonderful.
i am buying macbook this month love to see it on my mac
Online shopping is now a easy way of buying anything which they want by using the internet.so people want to know more about this.
Its a nice post about the same thing.
Thanks
This is my first time here and I am going to add you to my RSS reader.
I really love what you are doing here.
i think yahoo is trying to step it up but i dont think that they will surpass google
Online shopping is now a easy way of buying anything which they want by using the internet.so people want to know more about this.
Its a nice post about the same thing.
Thanks
First time visiting your blog, great work and very informative thanks.
Thanks you very much but it link is doesnt working. All link is hosted by themes editors page and i not found it.
Great info. First time at your blog - good stuff. Yes, the search API's are easy to use.
Sounds like bullshit... another idea with no original or updated thinking... just snapshot responses without delivery.
It was a great script sir. I learn a new function here, that is trigger_error() function. This script would help me much if i forgot which wordpress function i’ve ever modified using add_filter().
Trigger Errors and functions ? Jesus thank god for my web guy but very useful information
