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Caller ID Made Simple

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Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#11

Post by mikeknoop »

b14ck wrote: post #9
asciident wrote: post #7

I tried 6 numbers of friends and only one returned a result. Are many numbers not callerid-able, or is the api just bogged down?

Hi there. So, I'm the author of this article. Anyhow, for our free-tier users we don't provide realtime lookups. Basically, we'll only return a result if we have a caller ID in our cache. So, if you get a 404 (no output), then try again a few seconds later after we've had time to do the lookup via our backend. Sorry about that! Realtime lookups are currently restricted to API key users only.

You might make this more obvious. Also, you might state how to distinguish between "sorry we need more time to look this up" and an actual 404 or error.

HTTP code 202 Accepted seems appropriate for this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTTP_status_codes)

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#12

Post by ars »

b14ck wrote: post #9
asciident wrote: post #7

I tried 6 numbers of friends and only one returned a result. Are many numbers not callerid-able, or is the api just bogged down?

Hi there. So, I'm the author of this article. Anyhow, for our free-tier users we don't provide realtime lookups. Basically, we'll only return a result if we have a caller ID in our cache. So, if you get a 404 (no output), then try again a few seconds later after we've had time to do the lookup via our backend. Sorry about that! Realtime lookups are currently restricted to API key users only.

Is there any way to tell the difference between "try again" and "no data available"?

And you should have made this MUCH more visible on your website. I initially tried your service, got zero results and dismissed it as a failure.

Only after reading here did I realize your service actually does work, I just have to try each query twice.

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#13

Post by mwally »

mikeknoop wrote: post #6
chime wrote: post #3

This is the first API that I've encountered that works with cellphone numbers. I can see this being integrated into Android for incoming calls from unknown cellphone numbers.

My thoughts exactly! I easily get less than 60 calls per hour so this would be perfect. Interestingly, the caller ID for my number is tied to the first owner of my account before it was transferred to me (which happened many years ago).

An Android app is currently in development, and will be released free of charge. We are having an issue, however, because non-GSM carriers rarely allow data transmissions during a voice call, including the ringing state of incoming calls.

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#14

Post by AdleyEskridge »

Randall,

This looks remarkably easy to use. Just a small tip: On opencname's home page, you suggest users try the following API call:

  $ curl https://api.opencnam.com/v1/phone/2024561111
  US GOVERNMENT
I tried it and received a different result:

  $ curl https://api.opencnam.com/v1/phone/2024561111
  DIST OF COLUMBI
Perhaps you should update your home page to reflect this?

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#15

Post by kcbanner »

mwally wrote: post #13
mikeknoop wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My thoughts exactly! I easily get less than 60 calls per hour so this would be perfect. Interestingly, the caller ID for my number is tied to the first owner of my account before it was transferred to me (which happened many years ago).

An Android app is currently in development, and will be released free of charge. We are having an issue, however, because non-GSM carriers rarely allow data transmissions during a voice call, including the ringing state of incoming calls.

Even a lookup app would be handy for seeing missed calls, etc.

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#16

Post by mwally »

steveh73 wrote: post #10

Please make it more obvious that this only works for US phone numbers

It's not restricted to US only, but all of the NANPA. North American Numbering Plan Administration covers everywhere that uses the country code +1. This includes all of Canada, many islands and territories, and a few other exotic locations.

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#17

Post by kappaknight »

b14ck wrote: post #9
asciident wrote: post #7

I tried 6 numbers of friends and only one returned a result. Are many numbers not callerid-able, or is the api just bogged down?

Hi there. So, I'm the author of this article. Anyhow, for our free-tier users we don't provide realtime lookups. Basically, we'll only return a result if we have a caller ID in our cache. So, if you get a 404 (no output), then try again a few seconds later after we've had time to do the lookup via our backend. Sorry about that! Realtime lookups are currently restricted to API key users only.

I can see why you want to do this, but this just makes people send 2 requests instead of 1 for each number they look up.

Not sure if this is the better way.

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#18

Post by premchai21 »

mikeknoop wrote: post #11
b14ck wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi there. So, I'm the author of this article. Anyhow, for our free-tier users we don't provide realtime lookups. Basically, we'll only return a result if we have a caller ID in our cache. So, if you get a 404 (no output), then try again a few seconds later after we've had time to do the lookup via our backend. Sorry about that! Realtime lookups are currently restricted to API key users only.

You might make this more obvious. Also, you might state how to distinguish between "sorry we need more time to look this up" and an actual 404 or error. HTTP code 202 Accepted seems appropriate for this ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTTP_status_codes )

504 Gateway Timeout would be the obvious one, since if I'm reading this correctly it's essentially a timeout of zero; 5xx status codes are indicative of retriability later on.

But I think that sort of performance would make the free tier essentially worthless. “All you have to do is hit our API endpoint, and BAM, you get results back.” Except you really don't. Analogy: a caching DNS resolver that returned an instant SERVFAIL if the results weren't already in memory wouldn't be considered acceptable even for demo purposes anywhere that I've seen.

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#19

Post by samirahmed »

b14ck wrote: post #9
asciident wrote: post #7

I tried 6 numbers of friends and only one returned a result. Are many numbers not callerid-able, or is the api just bogged down?

Hi there. So, I'm the author of this article. Anyhow, for our free-tier users we don't provide realtime lookups. Basically, we'll only return a result if we have a caller ID in our cache. So, if you get a 404 (no output), then try again a few seconds later after we've had time to do the lookup via our backend. Sorry about that! Realtime lookups are currently restricted to API key users only.

> you can't get something working within 5 minutes of vising our website, we've failed our mission.

It took me five minutes on the website ... and I had to come back to HN and read the comments to get this working. Don't want to be discouraging, but maybe you should provide this information in the blog/website otherwise you have failed (for me atleast).

Re: Caller ID Made Simple

#20

Post by andrewpi »

mwally wrote: post #13
mikeknoop wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My thoughts exactly! I easily get less than 60 calls per hour so this would be perfect. Interestingly, the caller ID for my number is tied to the first owner of my account before it was transferred to me (which happened many years ago).

An Android app is currently in development, and will be released free of charge. We are having an issue, however, because non-GSM carriers rarely allow data transmissions during a voice call, including the ringing state of incoming calls.

It should still work while on Wi-Fi, correct? That would still be an improvement over the status quo (no caller ID).
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