Degraded API service 1st Feb 2010

[GaryRussell]

From bdp.betfair.com

Degraded Service
We have so far been unable to rectify the ongoing issues with the Betfair API.

You will currently experience an interrupted service.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused.

We will post updates as they become available on the Service section of the Betfair forum and the API System Status.

[doris_day]

Good to have an update but appalling that they haven't been able to solve the issues after all this time.

Some Betfair heads need to roll after this has settled down.

[doris_day]

"You will currently experience an interrupted service. "

Ahhh, no I won't.

Because I wont be using Betfair until the problem is resolved

[Village]

Betfair Customer Services 01 Feb 17:21

"At 12:30pm today we made some changes to the Betfair API and it has remained stable throughout this afternoon.

We are continuing to monitor the API closely."

Since it had been working okay for several weeks, are we to assume that it suddenly stopped working for no reason, or that what the above really means is that they undid some recent changes? I wonder if these changes had anything to do with arcade games or virtual racing, or some other rubbish that they are trying to implement before the IPO. At the moment, I reckon they're doing a pretty good job at raising the value of Betdaq shares!

[doris_day]

No company these days seems to be happy with narrowcasting and offering a single great product. The orginal BF model was fantastic and offered us all some wonderful opportunities. It did so well that it triggered the greed genes in the owners and they decided that rather than simply improve their model, they would add extra bits in the hope that they could squeeze more profit from the dumb and dumber that used their site.
What they seemed to overlook was that by adding all these extra elements, it would have a profound effect on their main service, especially when the extra bits drew resources from the same hardware.
Betfair is now driven by pure greed and contempt for their users and, although I make a good living from their exchange I hope that they will eventually get taught a lesson.
And that goes for so many other organisations that are run on similar principles. CEO's seem to believe that the only reason for the existence of a company is the generation of profit.

[sjaak1943]

There we go again!
API trouble?

[GaryRussell]

There we go again!
API trouble?

Yes. The following was posted on Betfair's forum.

Betfair Customer Services 03 Feb 11:12

The Betfair API is currently unavailable.

Further updates will be posted shortly. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

[doris_day]

Although they say the API is now OK, this is starting to get quite serious IMO.

I just don't see how, from a stable base, the API can suddenly have become so erratic.

Has anyone got any info about what the problem actually is and/or why its taking so long to fix ?

[doris_day]

The one upside for those interested in the in-running horse race markets is that its bonanza time for the layers.

There appears to be a whole load of complete numpties backing horses down to ridiculous prices with no chance of winning.....

[sjaak1943]

API not working at the moment!

[GaryRussell]

API not working at the moment!

It's not just the API. The whole Betfair site is unavailable.