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> The whole "API" concept has always seemed like a power-grab since it was introduced What do you mean? Do you mean a public, free API offered by these service
by bobmaxup 3y ago
> The whole "API" concept has always seemed like a power-grab since it was introduced
What do you mean? Do you mean a public, free API offered by these services?
- userbinator 3y agoI mean the idea of promoting a separate "API" that you need to specifically request access to ("API keys") and possibly agree to other conditions, just to get the same information you'd already be able to with the "normal" way using a browser, but in a possibly slightly easier to parse format. That's why I like to say that all sites already have an API: HTTP + HTML.
- 38 3y agoyep. people seem to forget that the whole API key is a recent invention. for many years you could just access many APIs anonymously. this should still be possible. if abuse is an issue, all they need to do is set rate limits for anonymous access. GitHub does this, and even Instagram. the only point of an API key is to extract information from API users that would otherwise be anonymous.