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Do you guys really expect a for profit company to offer free API access to 3rd parties, that offer a better experience with no ads, bypassing their revenue stre

by _yb2s 3y ago

Do you guys really expect a for profit company to offer free API access to 3rd parties, that offer a better experience with no ads, bypassing their revenue stream, and making their own site and apps look terrible in comparison? I've always been shocked Reddit allowed this at all. No other major player that owns a platform- FB, instagram, Google, etc. offers this either. I don't like it either but it makes perfect sense. You could even make the argument that not doing this would mean Reddit employees aren't doing their jobs, and aren't looking out for the company.

Jackim 3y ago
The developers aren't asking for a free API, just one that is justified based on reddit's costs.
- jdminhbg 3y ago
  The problem is people think of this in terms of "cost to keep the server on that serves an API request" and not the opportunity cost for ad engagement that actually makes the business viable.
  - _yb2s 3y ago
    Also the opportunity cost of optics… why is the overall user experience so much better with these apps?
  - Jackim 3y ago
    Sure, but there's also the value that the users create using these apps, and drive engagement to reddit. Not to mention the insane amount of volunteer mod work, many of who use unofficial apps.
    - jdminhbg 3y ago
      > Sure, but there's also the value that the users create using these apps, and drive engagement to reddit. This is what people said about third-party Twitter apps, yet all of those power users and brands are still there, except the ones who are ideologically opposed to Elon (and were leaving anyway). It doesn't really seem to have made a difference.
      - Peleus 3y ago
        > It doesn't really seem to have made a difference. Twitter is worth around a third of what Elon paid for it. I'm assuming you're happy to just assert that 2/3 of it's lost value is just those "who were leaving anyway" and changes like those to third party apps had no impact?
        jdminhbg 3y ago
        It’s mostly worth a third of what he paid for it because he paid way too much. But the actual value it’s lost is mostly around content moderation decisions and Elon’s own posting, not third-party apps.
jkubicek 3y ago
> Do you guys really expect a for profit company to offer free API access to 3rd parties, that offer a better experience with no ads, bypassing their revenue stream, and making their own site and apps look terrible in comparison? I certainly don't expect this, and if you read the linked article, Christian didn't either. His primary issue was that he was only given 30 days to find a solution, which wasn't a reasonable timeline. His secondary issue was the pricing of the API access. Having a paid API in the first place didn't make his list of concerns.
- WeylandYutani 3y ago
  Reddit is within their rights to make whatever commercial decision they want- concerns of anyone else be damned.
  - rcxdude 3y ago
    And everyone else is well within their rights to call their decision what they want. So what exactly is the point of stating this?
  - graypegg 3y ago
    That applies to consumers as well. Killing off a product that added value for people is going to make them upset. Are we supposed to be praising Reddit in your view?
  - guax 3y ago
    What's your point here? No one is saying reddit is not allowed to make this decision, people are arguing that it was a stupid decision. Its absolutely a company right to shit on their bed and hurt their customers, just as much as it is for said consumers to respond and criticise.
  - arthur-st 3y ago
    Indeed, they are within their rights to make decisions, including questionable[1] ones. Which is what the conversation is about – not if they can be doing this, but if they should be doing this. [1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5yq7q/judge-affirms-jack-dorseys-right-to-make-objectively-terrible-business-decisions https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5yq7q/judge-affirms-jack-do...
rpmw 3y ago
Frankly I'm surprised they didn't nip this in the bud years ago. Hindsight is 20/20, I guess.

by _yb2s 3y ago

Jackim 3y ago

The developers aren't asking for a free API, just one that is justified based on reddit's costs.

jdminhbg 3y ago
The problem is people think of this in terms of "cost to keep the server on that serves an API request" and not the opportunity cost for ad engagement that actually makes the business viable.
- _yb2s 3y ago
  Also the opportunity cost of optics… why is the overall user experience so much better with these apps?
- Jackim 3y ago
  Sure, but there's also the value that the users create using these apps, and drive engagement to reddit. Not to mention the insane amount of volunteer mod work, many of who use unofficial apps.
  - jdminhbg 3y ago
    > Sure, but there's also the value that the users create using these apps, and drive engagement to reddit. This is what people said about third-party Twitter apps, yet all of those power users and brands are still there, except the ones who are ideologically opposed to Elon (and were leaving anyway). It doesn't really seem to have made a difference.
    - Peleus 3y ago
      > It doesn't really seem to have made a difference. Twitter is worth around a third of what Elon paid for it. I'm assuming you're happy to just assert that 2/3 of it's lost value is just those "who were leaving anyway" and changes like those to third party apps had no impact?
      - jdminhbg 3y ago
        It’s mostly worth a third of what he paid for it because he paid way too much. But the actual value it’s lost is mostly around content moderation decisions and Elon’s own posting, not third-party apps.

jkubicek 3y ago

> Do you guys really expect a for profit company to offer free API access to 3rd parties, that offer a better experience with no ads, bypassing their revenue stream, and making their own site and apps look terrible in comparison? I certainly don't expect this, and if you read the linked article, Christian didn't either. His primary issue was that he was only given 30 days to find a solution, which wasn't a reasonable timeline. His secondary issue was the pricing of the API access. Having a paid API in the first place didn't make his list of concerns.

WeylandYutani 3y ago
Reddit is within their rights to make whatever commercial decision they want- concerns of anyone else be damned.
- rcxdude 3y ago
  And everyone else is well within their rights to call their decision what they want. So what exactly is the point of stating this?
- graypegg 3y ago
  That applies to consumers as well. Killing off a product that added value for people is going to make them upset. Are we supposed to be praising Reddit in your view?
- guax 3y ago
  What's your point here? No one is saying reddit is not allowed to make this decision, people are arguing that it was a stupid decision. Its absolutely a company right to shit on their bed and hurt their customers, just as much as it is for said consumers to respond and criticise.
- arthur-st 3y ago
  Indeed, they are within their rights to make decisions, including questionable[1] ones. Which is what the conversation is about – not if they can be doing this, but if they should be doing this. [1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5yq7q/judge-affirms-jack-dorseys-right-to-make-objectively-terrible-business-decisions https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5yq7q/judge-affirms-jack-do...

rpmw 3y ago

Frankly I'm surprised they didn't nip this in the bud years ago. Hindsight is 20/20, I guess.