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It's not too scary when you're relying on APIs from several different companies, as is the case with Greplin. Startups that are reliant on a single API (or othe
by zhyder 16y ago
It's not too scary when you're relying on APIs from several different companies, as is the case with Greplin. Startups that are reliant on a single API (or other single closed platform) seem much scarier.
- dschobel 16y agoLosing one or two of the big ones (fb or twitter) would be a glaring hole in their offering and it also seems like the same thing would trigger companies to cut them off; namely, too much success. I know they're smart guys (by proxy of YC) so they must have some answer to what happens should one of the handful of social networks that matter cut them off, but being on the outside looking in, it sure does look like a precarious position.
- jayp 16y agoAs you said, they are likely to be only cut off if they meet "success". If that happens, they will have leverage. Any way, at this point, they must have their blinders on. If they got preoccupied with figuring out solutions to tentative risk, they'll never take the first step (i.e., to be successful enough to be blocked).
- vyrotek 16y agoThis is almost never the case with Facebook. If you're successful and Facebook doesn't like what you're building then they shut you off without notice. No application depending on their API ever has any 'leverage'.
- zhyder 16y agoI don't disagree, but in a world where so many startups are reliant on just one API/platform (startups making Twitter clients, Facebook apps, and even iOS apps to some extent), Greplin seems to be relatively safe.