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MSN Opens Search Via Web Service
By David Utter
Expert Author
Article Date: 2005-09-16
The MSN Search engine will be accessible via a new API called the SOAP Web Service, allowing 10,000 queries per application per day.
Seth Demsey, a group program manager with MSN Search, posted some information about the availability of an API for MSN Search. Developers can login via Passport and sign up for an ApplicationID.
That ID gets passed to the search engine via the MSNSearchService() API, and retrieves search results for use in an application. "(B)ecause the MSN Search Web Service automatically allocates a separate quota to each IP address, users of your application don't need to sign up for anything for your app to work," he posted.
Via its MSN Developer Center, Microsoft has made APIs available for other MSN services. MSN Messenger, Virtual Earth, and the Search Toolbar can be accessed this way, and Microsoft is encouraging 'gadget' development for Start.com.
All of this API openness probably wouldn't be happening if not for the ascension of Google. By dominating the market share for search, and making APIs available for its services, Microsoft has been compelled to match Google in the developer space.
About the Author:
David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.
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