The API requires a subscription. The API SDK was open-source licensed so that either open-source or proprietary applications could include it in their distribution so that they can consume Bloomberg data "out of the box".
An example is OpenGamma -- http://www.opengamma.com/ -- it is an open-source app that ships with the BLPAPI and if you run it on the same PC as your Bloomberg Terminal install, it will just work and pull data from the Terminal API end-point.
The incentive is for apps to support Terminals / Bloomberg data natively from the get-go and it makes it easier for these startups/smaller players/open-source apps to have a chance of selling into firms without lengthy custom development efforts to adapt other data sources.
Comments
I see the API is open source: http://static.bloomberglabs.com/api/java/doc/3.8/
Could you set up your own stock dashboard or application with just that API, or do you need to subscribe to get database access as well?
The API requires a subscription. The API SDK was open-source licensed so that either open-source or proprietary applications could include it in their distribution so that they can consume Bloomberg data "out of the box".
An example is OpenGamma -- http://www.opengamma.com/ -- it is an open-source app that ships with the BLPAPI and if you run it on the same PC as your Bloomberg Terminal install, it will just work and pull data from the Terminal API end-point.
The incentive is for apps to support Terminals / Bloomberg data natively from the get-go and it makes it easier for these startups/smaller players/open-source apps to have a chance of selling into firms without lengthy custom development efforts to adapt other data sources.