131–140 of 637 posts
So they built a new product to a competitor's API spec? There is nothing wrong with that, the API itself is a plug - you need to implement the backend to compete. It is super lame and dumb to have ripped off their doc, but the API format itself is not an issue to me. If I were going to implement a competitor to Google Maps, it would make sense to copy the Maps API so people can migrate seamlessly. That is the nature…
What kind of tools are used to create API Docs like this? I made a dev-focused SaaS and struggle to find a good way to document API's directly via the codebase, so that code changes can be reflected automatically in the docs.
What do they mean by "standard" here if they object to this API being copied?
The very goal of API standardization is to have a common interface for TWO parts to talk to each other in a consistent manner. An API that through whatever means allows for only one specific backend doesn't really qualify for being a "standard".
> How Otonomo is illegally cloning our product
So am I to understand that the API spec is their product?
Or is their API not as standard as they claim?
Can't have your cake and eat it too.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bessemer & Co. likely know that Otonomo is building a drop-in replacement copy of Smartcar's API. I'm not sure there's anything terribly controversial about that, although reasonable people may disagree. Bessemer & Co. probably don't know that the docs are literally being copied though.
>> Bessemer & Co. likely know that Otonomo is building a drop-in replacement copy of Smartcar's API. I'm not sure there's anything terribly controversial about that, although reasonable people may disagree. Anyone considering that should be aware that Oracle vs Google is still not finished.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They would not have looked at the API docs of either the startup they are investing in or their competitor (99.95%). I've worked as VC and technical detail at such a level is basically non existent. Economics, team, market take up the vast majority of the effort.
We do technical due diligence, because at the VCs this specialty is usually not present.
I almost wish you had done my technical diligence, Jacques. I spent a week preparing for it and was very proud of what I’d built.
Have they cloned the API docs or the entire product? Copying API docs is stupid but I can see how that would have been done in a hurry.
However, if I were building a Saas product with an API and a competitor to a popular tool who has it, I will deliberately keep the basic functions as similar to ensure seamless transition. Its not about uniqueness but moving fast. Companies which might want to switch will have it easier given they wont have to change their code much, and by extension can be deployed faster, and I will try to sell them on the features we offer extra over the competitors.
I am not sure about copyright/patent infringement so cant comment about that. Part of what I wrote above might not be allowed, but maybe mentioning explicitly might be ok .
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you being deliberately obtuse? It's the contents of the tables that have been ripped off.
Its OAuth documentation - its a very well described standard protocol. Most of the OAuth documentation looks and reads exactly like this. The only "smoking gun" is the "random" value used for the state parameter, which seems to be copied over - and developers copy other products/sites documentation ALL THE TIME. While there is substance in the post that some other company is building the same product, saying that its…
Holy crap. The only way forward for Bessemer et al. VCs is to immediately withdraw their funding for this “company” and cut all ties in order to prove that they had no forewarning that this is how their money was being used. There are so few actors this visibly bad that if they didn’t do anything they would become “that guy” everybody avoids, in both the deals and funding space, when orgs do their due diligence. So t…
The most severe move they could take would be to enforce whatever contractual mechanisms they have to block additional financing pending an independent investigation and replacement of responsible parties. Or they could directly force the matter if investors hold a majority Board vote.
That is pretty egregious, and its also par for the course. And that is why startup companies go through all the hoops of being "stealth" and having NDAs and what not. There was a German VC firm that was, as I recall, very upfront about this. Clone a successful US company before it got to the European market. On the one hand it is great to have validation of the idea, on the other its a pain to have someone with more…
This is pretty egregious, but in reality the only thing that was copied was the docs for the API, not the API itself. The other company still has the write all the backend code, and given their track record of just ripping stuff off, may not have the engineering chops to pull it off. In addition, as Smartcar continuously improves their product and API, the other company can only react to these changes. If I was the O…
Holy crap. The only way forward for Bessemer et al. VCs is to immediately withdraw their funding for this “company” and cut all ties in order to prove that they had no forewarning that this is how their money was being used. There are so few actors this visibly bad that if they didn’t do anything they would become “that guy” everybody avoids, in both the deals and funding space, when orgs do their due diligence. So t…
Is it illegal to just copy some docs from somewhere on the web?
are APIs copyrightable?