Don't build services based on other people's APIs.
It's sad but true. For all the talk about mashups, it's rare to find a demo that's actually cool and much rarer to find a real application because of these problems with API limits. Sure, you might be able to build something that can handle 99% of twitter users, but the interesting and profitable 1% will blow out the API limit and then you're hosed.
So, your solution to the problem (carefully stated and with recompense offered) is: "Have a time machine"?
I guess it is a good solution, but it would require a lot of fundamental physics work so it might not match the time-frame he needs.
My point, and I apologise for the snark, is that when people have a problem and ask for help, they are not asking for judgement on things they should have done in the past, they are looking for ideas for how to move forward. If you feel strongly that people who build on APIs do not deserve this help, then perhaps consider making that point on any of the frequent "X API sucks" threads the pop up from time to time.
he is both right and wrong. relying on APIs can make the world very complex and high-pressure suddenly, but on the other hand, building/owning your complete eco-system is sometimes not doable from a starting perspective (wish I'd started Twitter, but I haven't...). so his advice, while not helpful, does have some truth between the lines.
you do have a point. it's incredibly fascinating to use an API since it instantly connects you with a large eco-system in this case, a large twitter universe - but once you start charging and making it a business, it becomes very much a middle-man-ish high-pressure type of situation.
Don't build services based on other people's APIs.
It's sad but true. For all the talk about mashups, it's rare to find a demo that's actually cool and much rarer to find a real application because of these problems with API limits. Sure, you might be able to build something that can handle 99% of twitter users, but the interesting and profitable 1% will blow out the API limit and then you're hosed.