logoalt Hacker News

TZubiri • yesterday at 8:04 AM • 2 replies • view on HN

well, it's a function with the string(string) type signature, so it's bound to be weakly coupled, it's literally stringly typed.

If there's efforts to build vendor lock in, it's going to be in the surrounding api, whether it's streaming responses, or this weird prediction thing, or temperature settings, seeds, stuff like that.

And even then, competitors can copy the interface because interfaces are not copyrightable.


Replies

chrisweekly • yesterday at 2:25 PM

"interfaces are not copyrightable"

That shorthand rule of thumb is often applicable, but can lead to risky / incorrect assumptions.

The central distinction isn't simply interface versus implementation. It's functional systems and constraints versus protectable expression - a distinction that can cut through both an interface and its implementation.

➕ show 1 reply
wonnage • yesterday at 8:36 AM

The only way they can get lock in is with the data. Right now it’s like a return to the early Web 2.0 days where everyone had an API. You hook the harness up to Slack, Gmail, GitHub, etc. so it can do work.

And like Web 2.0 I’m sure the day will come where the walled gardens return. All the old SaaS companies are starting to charge for agentic access. Proportionally more of the AI budget will go to them instead of the model providers, who are still stuck in this price war