[Macworld]

Post your comments for Delicious Library iPhone app yanked from App Store here

[Uncommon]

Even if they're being too strict with their APIs, at least they had the decency to put out a reasonably useful app of their own. Of course there's some room for improvement (like being able to access other people's wish lists, not just your own), but it's come in handy for me on several occasions.

[rab777hp]

Now this is a classic example of a legal and proper removal, if they want to use the APIs for amazon, then they have to follow amazon's rules, it makes perfect sense, they don't have to give out the APIs, but if they do, it makes sense to not have any competition, its their site/service.

[JPF]

So what happens if you already had the app, will it disappear the next time you sync ?

[doglesby]

This is insane. According to what they are telling him, he can't use the API on the desktop version to pull information on books/CDs/DVDs/etc. and sync that information to the iPhone app. At the very least, they need to offer some reason for this. Delicious Library has never done anything but direct more business to Amazon.

[doglesby]

JPF said:

So what happens if you already had the app, will it disappear the next time you sync ?

While, there is purportedly a mechanism to do that, Apple has been pretty explicit that it will be used only for malicious apps. Your app is safe.

[rab777hp]

DId you read the agreement? It explicitly says, its okay for desktop- but for mobile- no! Why? Because on the desktop there's no point in not allowing devs to use the APIs, on the mobile world, completely different. What amazon is saying is, if you want to be the dominating app for that niche, then come out with your own revolutionary internet service and make your own app.

[Inkspot]

Did you read wil shipley's twitter comments?

"For those asking, the iPhone app doesn't use the Amazon APIs directly, but just using data I got from them on a mobile device is not OK."

"Apparently it [the agreement] applies to the data as well."


This only highlights the need for public database not tied to an online retailer.

[doglesby]

rab777hp said:

DId you read the agreement?

As much fun as I'm sure the agreement is, I did not need to as nothing I said was wrong.
>It explicitly says, its okay for desktop- but for mobile- no!
You might note that Wil has been using the API since before that constraint was added.

Quote

Why? Because on the desktop there's no point in not allowing devs to use the APIs, on the mobile world, completely different. What amazon is saying is, if you want to be the dominating app for that niche, then come out with your own revolutionary internet service and make your own app.

Are you joking? This isn't competition at all. Amazon is not working furiously on an app to catalog the crap you've already purchased from them. Also, I wasn't talking about the API, I was talking about the data. Wil is using the API on the desktop as allowed, but he cannot sync that information to the iPhone app. The app doesn't use the API, it doesn't need to in its current incarnation.

[laelipoo]

No, it seems not.

I had synced my iTouch this morning, not knowing they would pull the app. So far, so good. Seems to be working fine.

[Mazz1]

Boo.

[rab777hp]

Exactly! Amazon made their own, so you can either use theirs or make your own.
And the APIs involve more than databasing, but buying and selling products as well.

[HobbesDoo]

Why all this debate? It's Amazon's service and API and they can allow or not whoever/whatever they want. It's that simple.

[doglesby]

HobbesDoo said:

Why all this debate? It's Amazon's service and API and they can allow or not whoever/whatever they want. It's that simple.

Because the app they pulled doesn't use the API. Because that restriction was added after Delicious Library started using the API--seriously restricting an app that has used the API by the book and to Amazon's benefit for years.