#– # $Id: README.rdoc,v 1.25 2009/06/15 23:51:11 ianmacd Exp $ #++ # # # = Ruby/AWS - A Ruby interface to the Amazon Associates Web Services API. # # == Introduction # # Ruby/AWS is a Ruby language library that allows programmatic access to # the popular Amazon Web sites via the AWS v4 API. It is the successor to the # now obsolete Ruby/Amazon. # # In addition to the original # amazon.com # site, the local sites # amazon.co.uk, # amazon.de, # amazon.fr, # amazon.ca and # amazon.co.jp # are also supported. # # Although the library is still in development, the AWS v4 API is now more or # less fully supported, with only tiny gaps in the functionality of some # operations. # # The following operations are supported: # # BrowseNodeLookup # CustomerContentLookup # CustomerContentSearch # Help # ItemLookup # ItemSearch # ListLookup # ListSearch # SellerListingLookup # SellerListingSearch # SellerLookup # SimilarityLookup # TagLookup # TransactionLookup # VehiclePartLookup # VehiclePartSearch # VehicleSearch # # Remote shopping-carts are also supported. This adds the following operations: # # CartCreate # CartAdd # CartModify # CartClear # CartGet # # Finally, multiple operations and batch requests are also supported. # # Ruby/AWS supports request authentication, using your secret key to sign your # requests to AWS. # # Beyond wrapping features readily available in the AWS API, Ruby/AWS also # offers advanced features not directly supported by the AWS API, such as the # ability to retrieve all results pages for a particular search, rather than # having to manually deal with multiple AWS responses of 10 results per page. # # You can also retrieve product images and optionally overlay them with # percentage discount icons. # # Another advanced feature is the ability to cache responses returned by AWS. # If the cache is used (as it is by default), the results of each unique # search will be cached and used for 24 hours. The cache can be manually # flushed of all or just the expired entries. # # One other useful advanced feature is the ability to determine the # appropriate Amazon locale for a given client, based on its IP address or # host name. This allows you to perform AWS operations using the correct # geographical Amazon site for any given client. German and Austrian clients # can be made to interact with amazon.de, British and Irish clients with # amazon.co.uk, etc. # # # == Installation # # Please see the INSTALL file supplied with the software for details of how # to install Ruby/AWS. You can choose between an installation script and a # RubyGems installation. # # Note, however, if opting for the gem installation, that Ruby/AWS’s RubyForge # UNIX name is now ruby-aaws. The ruby-aws name was taken by another # project and this namespace clash # prevented remote installation of the Ruby/AWS gem. # # # == Prerequisites # # Before you can use this library, you need to obtain an Amazon Web Services # access key # ID. # # You should also apply for an Associates # account, # although this isn’t strictly necessary. If you do not explicitly provide an # Associates tag in the operations you conduct via Ruby/AWS, the tag of the # Ruby/AWS author will be used by default. # # # == See Also # # Ultimately, the way to get the most from Ruby/AWS is to read the AWS # documentation to get a feel for what is possible, and then experiment with # the library to see how the calls to AWS are mapped to the Ruby world. You # should also review this library’s # RDoc # documentation as well as the # plain-text README file that came with the archive. # # Additionally, there’s a # mailing-list available, # where you can discuss any Ruby/AWS-related subjects and issues. # # Please see the AWS Developer Resources home # page, # the Amazon Web Services API # documentation, # and, in particular, the release # notes # for definitive information on the capabilities and inner workings of the AWS # API. # # # == Download # # Version 0.7.0 # === gzip’ed tar archive # === Ruby Gem # === Fedora 9 RPM # === Fedora 9 doc RPM # === Fedora 9 source RPM # # # —

# Author

Ian Macdonald <ian@caliban.org>

# Version

0.7.0

# Copyright

© 2008-2009 Ian Macdonald

# Licence

GPL