Filed under: Software, Internet Tools
Inquisitor answers the call
Inquisitor, Dave Watanabe's search tool for Safari, was the cause of a recent debate regarding disclosure of affiliate links. In response to public criticism, Watanabe has released a new version that both marks sponsored links and even allows you to disable the affiliate links entirely. He offers his response in a recent blog post.You'll notice an update to the download page as well, offering a statement regarding the affiliate links that Inquisitor (now, optionally) inserts into search results. I commend him for this response and I think a lot of people will be relieved that they won't need to give up one of the tools that makes Safari great, even if just on principle.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ghall said 1:13PM on 1-16-2008
I think it's sad that people got so bent out of shape over this. Maybe I'm missing something, but I found nothing wrong with it. I took the time to email the developer to tell him how much I appreciated his work on Inquisitor, and that I think this whole ordeal is just stupid.
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Hawkman said 1:40PM on 1-16-2008
It's because of his questionable business practices in the past. Any other developer, most people would think it was simply a documentation oversight and not underhand moneymaking. With Watanabe - and his milking of the open source software scene - my instinct told me this was deliberately hidden. At least he's fixed it.
Bjorn Nitmo said 1:17PM on 1-16-2008
I've never had any problems with David Watanabe or his shenanigans. You know why? Because I avoid him and his software. The man is an arrogant jerk and as nice as his software looks, it ain't worth the hassle.
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Johnathon Zirkle said 1:28PM on 1-16-2008
I love this thing. I had no complaints. I don't even understand what the problem was. Doesn't Google and every other search engine do the same thing???
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Alahmnat said 1:39PM on 1-16-2008
Yes, but the difference is, they *tell you* when they're doing it. Prior to today, Inquisitor did not.
Rae Whitlock said 1:40PM on 1-16-2008
A summary of all comments on any given TUAW post involving Watanabe:
1) "GRRR! EYE HAET WATANABE!! HE IS TEH MEAN!"
2) "He makes great products. What's the problem?"
Repeat ad nauseum.
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Hellsinki said 1:53PM on 1-16-2008
you forgot the third principal ingredient: the ranting about all the ranting...
Thomas said 1:43PM on 1-16-2008
Personally I didn't have a problem with it but I can see how some people would and I think in the long run this is a wise decision and one of those things that whilst a lot of people will deem it unnecessary, will cause less hassle.
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5cents said 1:52PM on 1-16-2008
I'll be avoiding his sw from now on too though the change is welcome (and should be how affiliate links are implemented in the first place).
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Jason Krause said 1:53PM on 1-16-2008
This is good news. Whether you had a problem with it before or not. This is what he shoud have done in the first place.
Still wish Inquisitor didn't disable 1Password though.
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Blair said 2:38PM on 1-16-2008
How does it disable it? I'm new to 1password, but both seem to be working simultaneously for me without a problem. Can you elaborate?
Jason Krause said 2:49PM on 1-16-2008
Well after some "experimenting" I've gotten it to work again. But when I installed Inquisitor 3.0 (v51) 1Password was removed/didn't work in Safari for me (and others if you read the comments on the Mac software sites, MU & VT). So I removed Inquisitor. I then tried Inquisitor 3.0 (v52) today and it did the same thing. So I reinstalled 1Password and it showed up again. Hard to say what is the cause now.
seyDoggy said 2:29PM on 1-16-2008
dugg http://digg.com/apple/Inquisitor_answers_the_call
I am a fan of Dave and I think the haters keep beating him down. He's not a people person, from what I can tell, but why be persecuted time and time again for that?
Thanks for the update.
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B. said 2:30PM on 1-16-2008
When it comes to Dave Watanabe most people behave like innocent nuns. Have you ever tried to read the fine print at Apple online Store? Are your 300+ leopard new features working as they should? And what about Google on privacy...and so on...? Come on, GIVE ME A BREAK!
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Mark said 3:12PM on 1-16-2008
It doesn't mark all 'sponsored links' as affiliate links, though. Try a search for either bittorrent or gnutella, and Watanabe's products are displayed on top. Sure, they aren't real affiliate links, but it's still a sponsored link and far from a true organic ranking.
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Mark said 3:13PM on 1-16-2008
On a side note though, unchecking the affiliate links preference DOES get rid of those links (to his products) as well.
SubGenius said 3:27PM on 1-16-2008
If I were Dave I would have started offering two versions...
1) FREE... but continues to show the affiliate links.
2) $99 for a single user license and no affiliate links.
Debate over take your pick you ungrateful S-O-Bs.
But that's just me.
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David Chartier said 4:05PM on 1-16-2008
Inquisitor is absolutely indispensable to me and my work. I don't care what knid of a person Watanabe is (though yes, he can be cold at times). His software is great, and Inquisitor has nothing to do with the open source snafu of his other stuff.
I donated back when Inquisitor 3 went free. I've intentionally bought a few items through Amazon links I found in Inquisitor. And I just donated again this morning when I saw his announcement come through NetNewsWire. It's a fantastic, unparalleled plug-in that deserves due credit.
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Ed said 3:14AM on 1-17-2008
DC, you should care what sort of person he is, as that is what informs the decisions he takes when he writes his software, and is the reason for his out of date "f-you" attitude to paying customers.
If it wasn't for the sort of person he is, this latest furore regarding Inquisitor would never have blown up - it's his reputation that precedes him. Anyone else, and it would have gone unnoticed.
I know you've long been an apologist for him, but burying your head in the sand and saying it doesn't matter what he does as long as he makes nice software does not help anyone.
The longer you and others carry on donating to him, the more you will perpetuate his apparent belief that his way is the right way and every move he makes is justified. That would be to the detriment of the whole Apple community.
pcx said 5:08PM on 1-16-2008
Too little too late. The guy lost all his credibility along time ago
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