Wolfram Alpha Open Data To Others with API
This may be a step toward monetization and/or an admission that as a “search destination” it’s foundering.
Wolfram today has a defined range of data (see the Wikipedia list), making it unpredictable for those not familiar with its capabilities and limitations
Not long ago “computational engine” Wolfram Alpha struck a deal with Microsoft to license some of its data to Bing. Now, according to the Guardian UK, Wolfram is going wide with that strategy and will soon enable an API that third parties can use to create mashups or enhance their sites.
By juxtaposing itself with Google or positioning itself as superior to Google in a number of ways, Wolfram created some confusion (and disappointment) in the market. People showed up and didn’t know how to use it, incorrectly assuming it was a search engine.
