AdWords API Re: Does Google allow development

Well, it's clearly a still a mystery.

Despite all the postings asking Google to clarify its position, there
is still no comment from anyone from Google. This thread has been going
for a week and I find it hard to believe that noone from Google has
read it.

If we mail Google, we're told to ask here, what the implications are
of the TOS changes. But here, it would seem, noone from Google wants
to comment.

What is clear is that

(a) Google opened up the API to allow developers to develop third party
tools.
(b) They ostensibly changed their mind by unilaterally, and without
warning changing
their TOS to apparently stop allowing developers from developing third
party tools. (Although
this construction has to be so ludicrous as to be verging on the
farcical - just what on earth
is the point of an API anyway?)
(c) They are not willing to talk about it in public.

>From this, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the boardroom
has been
taken over by lawyers and all the employees are terrified of the suits
in the boardroom;
They've fired their PR people and now manage their press
releases by quietly releasing amended contracts and keeping quiet about
it afterwards.

The only thing that makes a modicum of sense is the forthcoming release
of
the commercial API.

Now, can anyone from Google stick their head over the parapet and tell
us whether third party tools will be allowed when the Commercial API
is launched on 1 Jan, and what the likely terms of that arrangement
will be.

What's more, is there any particular preference/dislike for the type of
tools
that could be developed?

I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for an answer.