# I am the Watcher. I am your guide through this vast new twtiverse.
#
# Usage:
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/users View list of users and latest twt date.
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/twt View all twts.
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/mentions?uri=:uri View all mentions for uri.
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/conv/:hash View all twts for a conversation subject.
#
# Options:
# uri Filter to show a specific users twts.
# offset Start index for quey.
# limit Count of items to return (going back in time).
#
# twt range = 1 21
# self = https://watcher.sour.is/conv/c2p63cq
The problem is two -fold. Building a distributed, efficient search index to go with that data. And getting enough people to user your search engine for it to be worth it. Someone has to help pay for the infrastructure of course. But Billions of dollars, No fucking way. 10s of Millions _maybe_. If someone gave me $20-30M tomorrow, you know what I'd do with it right? Spyda.dev goes Boom! 💥
The problem is two -fold. Building a distributed, efficient search index to go with that data. And getting enough people to user your search engine for it to be worth it. Someone has to help pay for the infrastructure of course. But Billions of dollars, No fucking way. 10s of Millions _maybe_. If someone gave me $20-30M tomorrow, you know what I'd do with it right? Spyda.dev goes Boom! 💥
The problem is two -fold. Building a distributed, efficient search index to go with that data. And getting enough people to user your search engine for it to be worth it. Someone has to help pay for the infrastructure of course. But Billions of dollars, No fucking way. 10s of Millions _maybe_. If someone gave me $20-30M tomorrow, you know what I'd do with it right? Spyda.dev goes Boom! 💥
Yeah you built one as a starting point in a weekend sitting on your own budget. Given money in the millions, I imagine it's not too hard of an ask at all. Google's dominance comes down to a bunch of other factors anyway rather than who is _better_, not least of which the fact it's included as default search engine on so many devices and browsers.
Yeah you built one as a starting point in a weekend sitting on your own budget. Given money in the millions, I imagine it's not too hard of an ask at all. Google's dominance comes down to a bunch of other factors anyway rather than who is _better_, not least of which the fact it's included as default search engine on so many devices and browsers.
@eldersnake that’s exactly right and that’s what’s called a monopoly and anti-competitive behavior where you buy up the competition and force everyone else’s products around you to use your thing, so yes in that sense it is quite difficult to compete with
@eldersnake that’s exactly right and that’s what’s called a monopoly and anti-competitive behavior where you buy up the competition and force everyone else’s products around you to use your thing, so yes in that sense it is quite difficult to compete with
@eldersnake that’s exactly right and that’s what’s called a monopoly and anti-competitive behavior where you buy up the competition and force everyone else’s products around you to use your thing, so yes in that sense it is quite difficult to compete with
For example, there used to be a Web API that _could_ have enabled more competition in the search market and make it easier from a UX point of view to make one search engine the default over another just by visiting it. I'm fairly sure Google squashed that and it's no more. Today there is the OpenSearch API and spec so you can at least get your search engine like Spyda in to your browser, but it takes a few extra manual steps to make it your default 😢
For example, there used to be a Web API that _could_ have enabled more competition in the search market and make it easier from a UX point of view to make one search engine the default over another just by visiting it. I'm fairly sure Google squashed that and it's no more. Today there is the OpenSearch API and spec so you can at least get your search engine like Spyda in to your browser, but it takes a few extra manual steps to make it your default 😢
For example, there used to be a Web API that _could_ have enabled more competition in the search market and make it easier from a UX point of view to make one search engine the default over another just by visiting it. I'm fairly sure Google squashed that and it's no more. Today there is the OpenSearch API and spec so you can at least get your search engine like Spyda in to your browser, but it takes a few extra manual steps to make it your default 😢
Again, anti-competitive behavior. I _think_ the only reason Google isn't in more trouble than they currently are for their anti-competitive behavior is that early on they did build some very compelling search experience, their secretive algorithms/secret-sauce, that at the time meant every other search engine just died a swift death. So they initially won the search engine wars quite easily. But everything else they've done in this space is "anti-competitive" in my opinion.
Again, anti-competitive behavior. I _think_ the only reason Google isn't in more trouble than they currently are for their anti-competitive behavior is that early on they did build some very compelling search experience, their secretive algorithms/secret-sauce, that at the time meant every other search engine just died a swift death. So they initially won the search engine wars quite easily. But everything else they've done in this space is "anti-competitive" in my opinion.
Again, anti-competitive behavior. I _think_ the only reason Google isn't in more trouble than they currently are for their anti-competitive behavior is that early on they did build some very compelling search experience, their secretive algorithms/secret-sauce, that at the time meant every other search engine just died a swift death. So they initially won the search engine wars quite easily. But everything else they've done in this space is "anti-competitive" in my opinion.
Yeah look I'll grant them the work they did early on, they earned their stripes to get them on their way. But then eventually they've made their whole "Do No Evil" mantra look like a total farce, because for mine they do plenty of 'evil'.
Yeah look I'll grant them the work they did early on, they earned their stripes to get them on their way. But then eventually they've made their whole "Do No Evil" mantra look like a total farce, because for mine they do plenty of 'evil'.