Third party use

[andrew.reutter]

Hi folks,

I'm interested in using the ur.ly service for URL shortening in my web
app.

I have one business question and one technical:

- Are there any limitations on use that I should be aware of? Terms
of Use? Etc? My own app is also App Engine, and I know it's not free
once you scale up significantly. I don't want to cost you money!

- I note that calling the /new.json URL multiple times with the same
URL in the "href" parameter always produces the same result. Can that
behavior be counted on? In other words, can I use /new as a "lookup
or create" function?

One more, I guess...

- Are the shortened URLs permanent or transitory?

Thanks in advance!

Andrew Reutter

[Adam Stiles]

> I have one business question and one technical:
>
> - Are there any limitations on use that I should be aware of?  Terms
> of Use?  Etc?  My own app is also App Engine, and I know it's not free
> once you scale up significantly.  I don't want to cost you money!

It costs me $0.28 a month right now... I'm OK with covering that. I
haven't gone through the work of creating a TOS yet... maybe some
day... but right now, just not sure its worth the effort.

> - I note that calling the /new.json URL multiple times with the same
> URL in the "href" parameter always produces the same result.  Can that
> behavior be counted on?  In other words, can I use /new as a "lookup
> or create" function?

Yes - that behavior can be counted on. If you check the source code on
Github, you'll see a method called find_or_create_by_href on the Urly
model... works exactly as you describe. I have no plans to change
that.

> One more, I guess...
>
> - Are the shortened URLs permanent or transitory?

Theoretically they are permanent. I don't expire or delete them.

Thanks,

Adam

[andrew.reutter]

After realizing the source code was available, I've answered questions
2 and 3 for myself (yes and permanent). Great API: easy to use and
behaves _exactly_ how I'd want it to.

My only remaining question, then, is the business question about Terms
of Use.

Cheers!
- Andrew

[andrew.reutter]

Thanks, Adam!

I'll attempt to minimize the number of calls, and stay subscribed to
this group in case you introduce any TOS.

Cheers,
Andrew