bloomberg api server?

Question

looking at bloomberg api http://www.openbloomberg.com/ and downloaded example code, looks we need some server to get the data?

private void run(String[] args) throws Exception
{
    String serverHost = "127.0.0.1";
    int serverPort = 8194;
    String serviceName = "//blp/mktdata";

    SessionOptions sessionOptions = new SessionOptions();
    sessionOptions.setServerHost(serverHost);
    sessionOptions.setServerPort(serverPort);

are the servers freely available or we need to buy that?

if not, this means we still do not have a open free data (either live or historical?)

thx.

Answer 1

127.0.0.1" is your local machine and you need to have a Bloomberg terminal open & logged on (=> you need to be a subscriber, which is chargeable).

The only thing that is "free" is the API, which has been open sourced. But the data remains proprietary, whether it's live or historical.

Answer 2

There's relevant information in this SO post. Specifically user2023861 offers a project Bloomberg API Emulator which you might find useful. I haven't tried it. Bloomberg, in response to a question sent to [email protected], has announced a plan to release their own emulator later this month. The intention to do this is mentioned here in the response to question 7.