Googlert - Goggle API query tool

[Terrier]

I was on Peter Da Vanzo's site searchengineblog.com this morning. He gives a link to this interesting site. Could not see any mention of it here so thought I would post it for comment.

googlert.com

[Brett_Tabke]

Can you say PR0?

[Krapulator]

Googlert:

"It does this by performing regular Google searches on your behalf and sends an email alert whenever new results appear."

Google TOS:

"You may not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system without express permission in advance from Google."

Nudge Nudge Wink Wink Say No More

[ciml]

Krapulator, it's an application of Google's Web APIs [google.com]. These allow a limited amount of non-commercial use via SOAP.

[Terrier]

So they did not get permission! Should have looked at the PRTB. I now understand the referal to Feeders post.
Well how about that! Say no more!

[Brett_Tabke]

There is enough wiggle room in both tos's ciml, that the Google tos supercedes the api tos when there is a gray area.

This trumps all:

"You may not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system without express permission in advance from Google."

I know I would do a double take at putting my url into some site that is going to id my api key - or even giving out the api key in the first place.

[eaden]

The whole point of the google API is for automated queries!

So what about the google update monitor ( [webmasterworld.com...] ) on this site? Surely he is only doing the same thing as that.

speaking of which, is there any change we can opt-in to an email when that thing goes off? if not, it seems automated request of webmasterworld ( so I can make the update email thing myself ) are not dissallowed in the terms of service [webmasterworld.com...]

[steveb]

I'll ask again then...

so does the text Brett quoted mean that *any* use of <snip> qualify as an automated query?

[edited by: Brett_Tabke at 1:45 pm (utc) on Jan. 21, 2003]
[edit reason] we aren't doing tool drops per the charter [/edit]

[Brett_Tabke]

Yep...anything that queries google via a program is automated.

Any what makes you think the update checker I have here is automated?

[ciml]

As Brett says, there are grey areas. I doubt that Google would want to define them too carefully, else people would find loopholes.

* Automated tools that query Google in the normal way (bad)

* Automated tools that don't query Google, but produce frames linking to Google results

* Automated tools that use Google's API for non-commercial use

* Hand checking now and again (presumably not bad)

[Terrier]

* Hand checking now and again (presumably not bad)

(Presumably not bad) Now that sure is something to fire up one’s Paranoia.