Hi Jonathan,

The Google API can now be invoked guilt-free from server-side, see:

http://code.google.com/apis/ajaxsearch/documentation/#fonje

"For Flash developers, and those developers that have a need to access
the AJAX Search API from other Non-Javascript environments, the API
exposes a simple RESTful interface. In all cases, the method supported
is GET and the response format is a JSON encoded result set with
embedded status codes. Applications that use this interface must abide
by all existing terms of use. An area to pay special attention to
relates to correctly identifying yourself in your requests.
Applications MUST always include a valid and accurate http referer
header in their requests. In addition, we ask, but do not require,
that each request contains a valid API Key. By providing a key, your
application provides us with a secondary identification mechanism that
is useful should we need to contact you in order to correct any
problems."

Well, guilt-free if you agree to the terms, which include:

"The API may be used only for services that are accessible to your end
users without charge."

"You agree that you will not, and you will not permit your users or
other third parties to: (a) modify or replace the text, images, or
other content of the Google Search Results, including by (i) changing
the order in which the Google Search Results appear, (ii) intermixing
Search Results from sources other than Google, or (iii) intermixing
other content such that it appears to be part of the Google Search
Results; or (b) modify, replace or otherwise disable the functioning
of links to Google or third party websites provided in the Google
Search Results."

Regards,

Kent Fitch

On Wed, May 7, 2008 at 7:53 AM, Jonathan Rochkind <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> This is interesting. These slides don't give me quite enough info to
>  figure out what's going on (I hate reading slides by themselves!), but
>  I'm curious about this statement: "Without JavaScript coding
>  (even though Google's API requires JavaScript coding as it is) ". Are
>  you making calls server-side, or are you still making them client-side?
>
>  As you may recall, one issue I keep beating upon is the desire to call
>  Google's API server-side. While it's technically possible to call it
>  server-side, Google doesn't want you to. I wonder if this is what
>  they're doing there? The problems with that are:
>
>  1) It may violate Googles terms of service
>  2) It may run up against Google traffic-limiting defenses
>  3) [Google's given reason]: It doesn't allow Google to tailor the
>  results to the end-users location (determined by IP).
>
>  Including an x-forwarded-for header _may_ get around #2 or #3. Including
>  an x-forwarded-for header should probably be considered a best practice
>  when doing this sort of thing server-side in general, but I'm still
>  nervous about doing this, and wish that Google would just plain say they
>  allow server-side calls.
>
>
>
>
>
>  Godmar Back wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > here's a pointer to follow up on the earlier discussion on how to
> > integrate Google books viewability API into closed legacy systems that
> > allow only limited control regarding what is being output, such as
> > III's Millennium system. Compared to other solutions, no JavaScript
> > programming is required, and the integration into the vendor-provided
> > templates (such as briefcit.html etc.) is reasonably clean, provides
> > targeted placement, and allows for multiple uses per page.
> >
> > Slides (excerpted from Annette Bailey's presentation at IUG 2008):
> > http://libx.org/gbs/GBSExcerptFromIUGTalk2008.ppt
> > A demo is currently available here: http://addison.vt.edu:2082/
> >
> >  - Godmar
> >
> >
> >
>
>  --
>  Jonathan Rochkind
>  Digital Services Software Engineer
>  The Sheridan Libraries
>  Johns Hopkins University
>  410.516.8886
>  rochkind (at) jhu.edu
>