updating blog posts

_posts/2010-09-25-the-api-economy.html

@@ -6,17 +6,17 @@
 ---
 
 
-<a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-application-programming-interface.php">Application Programming Interfaces (API)</a> are a driving the Internet and our economy. <a href="http://blog.apievangelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/api-tag-cloud.gif"><img title="API Tag Cloud" src="http://blog.apievangelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/api-tag-cloud-300x175.gif"  width="300" height="175" align="right" /></a> They drive our online experience:
-<ul >
+<a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-application-programming-interface.php">Application Programming Interfaces (API)</a> are a driving the Internet and our economy. <a href="http://blog.apievangelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/api-tag-cloud.gif"><img title="API Tag Cloud" src="http://blog.apievangelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/api-tag-cloud-300x175.gif" alt="" width="300" height="175" align="right" /></a> They drive our online experience:
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>Developers rely on API for key data and functionality in their applications
      </li>
      <li>Businesses exchange data and services using API
      </li>
      <li>Media and press are using them for real-time analysis
      </li>
 </ul>API's come in many flavors: <a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-xml-rpc.php">XML-RPC</a>, <a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-soap.php">SOAP</a>, and <a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-rest.php">REST</a>, although <a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-rest.php">REST</a> is king when it comes to next generation of web applications.
-In 2000 businesses were still working to understand the importance of having a web site.
-In 2010 businesses are now faced with the growing importance of their API.
-If you don't already have an API developed in-house you need to talk with <a href="http://www.mashery.com/" target="_blank">Mashery</a> or <a href="http://www.3scale.net/" target="_blank">3Scale</a>.
-If you have an API, but need to take it to the next level. You need an <a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-api-evangelist.php">API Evangelist</a>.
+<p></p>In 2000 businesses were still working to understand the importance of having a web site.
+<p></p>In 2010 businesses are now faced with the growing importance of their API.
+<p></p>If you don't already have an API developed in-house you need to talk with <a href="http://www.mashery.com/" target="_blank">Mashery</a> or <a href="http://www.3scale.net/" target="_blank">3Scale</a>.
+<p></p>If you have an API, but need to take it to the next level. You need an <a href="http://www.apievangelist.com/definition-api-evangelist.php">API Evangelist</a>.
 

_posts/2010-10-06-flickr-api-review.html

@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 ---
 
 
-The <a href="http://code.flickr.com%3EAPI%3C/a%3E%20for%20the%20online%20photo%20and%20video%20sharing%20service%20%3Ca%20href=">Flickr</a> provides a way for new tools to be built and for Flickr content to be uploaded or shared. <img src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/api-evangelist/Flickr-Code-Screenshot.PNG"  width="375" align="right" /> Flickr offers a solid API with very traditional building blocks:
-<ul >
+The <a href="http://code.flickr.com%3EAPI%3C/a%3E%20for%20the%20online%20photo%20and%20video%20sharing%20service%20%3Ca%20href=">Flickr</a> provides a way for new tools to be built and for Flickr content to be uploaded or shared. <img class="c1" src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/api-evangelist/Flickr-Code-Screenshot.PNG" alt="" width="375" align="right" /> Flickr offers a solid API with very traditional building blocks:
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>API Overview
      </li>
      <li>Account Manager
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
      <li>Email Listserve
      </li>
 </ul>Recently Flickr evolved its API area (App Garden) and took a more ecosystem approach by creating <a href="code.flickr.com">code.flickr.com</a> by bringing together several old and new building blocks:
-<ul >
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>Dashboard
      </li>
      <li>Forums (3 separate forums: API Forum, Hacking Uploadr, and Yahoo Forum)
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
      </li>
      <li>Developer Blog
      </li>
-     <li>Jobs Listing (For Flickr, not for ecoystem)
+     <li class="c2">Jobs Listing (For Flickr, not for ecoystem)
      </li>
 </ul>Flickr's API is a solid example of a simple, yet successful RESTful approach to an API. A very early mover in building an API, Flickr's offerings may be missing many of the more sophisticated API building blocks we are seeing with the new generation of APIs. Nevertheless, you can't argue with success. I believe Flickr's dead simple approach to solving one problem -- photo sharing -- has helped the company deliver a successful API even without a robust API ecosystem.
 

_posts/2010-10-06-how-to-pitch-your-api.html

@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@
 
 
 As a journalist, I get a lot of pitches from startups trying to convince me to write about their product or service. And I also attend a lot of pitch events, where entrepreneurs try to convince a panel of judges (typically investors) to write them a check. Often there are a lot of missing pieces in these pitches -- no compelling technology, no compelling market, no compelling story, and most damning, no actual product.
-Sure. You can have slides. You can boast about how awesome your product will be. You can talk, talk, talk.
-Or, you can actually show it off, show how it works. And I do mean, literally, how it works, by coding your way through a demo.
-And this is what John Britton, <a href="http://www.twilio.com">Twilio</a>'s developer evangelist, does in this video, taken at a NY Tech Meetup. In it, he not only makes the case for the Twilio product -- the Twilio API integrates phone and message actions into your app. But by coding the demo live onstage, Britton also makes the case for and to the developer community, which is particularly important for having a vibrant and robust API.
-<object  class width="560" height="340" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cabversion=6,0,40,0">
+<p></p>Sure. You can have slides. You can boast about how awesome your product will be. You can talk, talk, talk.
+<p></p>Or, you can actually show it off, show how it works. And I do mean, literally, how it works, by coding your way through a demo.
+<p></p>And this is what John Britton, <a href="http://www.twilio.com">Twilio</a>'s developer evangelist, does in this video, taken at a NY Tech Meetup. In it, he not only makes the case for the Twilio product -- the Twilio API integrates phone and message actions into your app. But by coding the demo live onstage, Britton also makes the case for and to the developer community, which is particularly important for having a vibrant and robust API.
+<p></p><object id="lsplayer" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="560" height="340" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0">
      <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" />
      <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
      <param name="src" value="http://cdn.livestream.com/grid/LSPlayer.swf?channel=nytechmeetup&amp;clip=pla_8b03ead8-b68f-4f04-9744-2e0e85274b03&amp;autoPlay=false" />
      <param name="name" value="lsplayer" />
      <param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
      <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" />
-     <embed  type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="340" src="http://cdn.livestream.com/grid/LSPlayer.swf?channel=nytechmeetup&amp;clip=pla_8b03ead8-b68f-4f04-9744-2e0e85274b03&amp;autoPlay=false" wmode="transparent" name="lsplayer" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" />
+     <embed id="lsplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="340" src="http://cdn.livestream.com/grid/LSPlayer.swf?channel=nytechmeetup&amp;clip=pla_8b03ead8-b68f-4f04-9744-2e0e85274b03&amp;autoPlay=false" wmode="transparent" name="lsplayer" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" />
 </object>
 

_posts/2010-10-06-riding-the-waves-of-change.html

@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@
 
 
 Change happens. With technology, change seems to be accelerating, or at least the waves of change seem to come more frequently.
-I feel I've developed a certain rhythm for riding these waves. Part of this rhythm is a regular evaluation of where I stand, a sort of agile career methodology. I'm in one of those evaluation periods right now. <img src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/waves.jpg"  width="350" align="right" /> What wave is next?
-In January 2007 I found myself jumping on the social media wave, in which I still ride to some degree.
-In Spring of 2008 I found myself jumping on the cloud computing wave, in which I'm still totally drowning in.
-What wave is next? Mobile? Big Data? Semantics?
-There are many things I consider when evaluating what I will focus my attention on. I want to make sure I will be investing in learning that will benefit my professional development.
-One thing I look for are constants within all the waves I ride. One constant I've seen between Social media and Cloud Computing are APIs. If you take a deeper look:
-<ul >
+<p></p>I feel I've developed a certain rhythm for riding these waves. Part of this rhythm is a regular evaluation of where I stand, a sort of agile career methodology. I'm in one of those evaluation periods right now. <img class="c1" src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/waves.jpg" alt="" width="350" align="right" /> What wave is next?
+<p></p>In January 2007 I found myself jumping on the social media wave, in which I still ride to some degree.
+<p></p>In Spring of 2008 I found myself jumping on the cloud computing wave, in which I'm still totally drowning in.
+<p></p>What wave is next? Mobile? Big Data? Semantics?
+<p></p>There are many things I consider when evaluating what I will focus my attention on. I want to make sure I will be investing in learning that will benefit my professional development.
+<p></p>One thing I look for are constants within all the waves I ride. One constant I've seen between Social media and Cloud Computing are APIs. If you take a deeper look:
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>
           <strong>Social Media</strong> - YouTube API and Flickr API are at the heart of the social media movement.
      </li>
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
           <strong>Cloud Computing</strong> - The two undisputed kings of cloud computing, Amazon Web Services and Google both depend on API to deliver their services
      </li>
 </ul>APIs are playing a monumental role in delivering the Internet today. What is next?
-<ul >
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>
           <strong>Mobile</strong> - APIs make mobile applications possible and help drive innovation in the mobile space.
      </li>
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
           <strong>Semantics</strong> - APIs will drive discovery and meaning around links, documents, and other objects.
      </li>
 </ul>Pick most any area of business today and you can see APIs either driving or emerging as a major player within that industry.
-Change is upon me again, whatever the next wave is, I feel I'm secure in focusing on APIs.
-I am leaving a position as a Director of Technology with a focus on cloud computing to a position as an API Evangelist and with a focus on the business of APIs.
-This is where I feel future of cloud computing is, as well as many other sectors of our society, throughout business, education, government and much more.
-Change is exciting. More to come.
+<p></p>Change is upon me again, whatever the next wave is, I feel I'm secure in focusing on APIs.
+<p></p>I am leaving a position as a Director of Technology with a focus on cloud computing to a position as an API Evangelist and with a focus on the business of APIs.
+<p></p>This is where I feel future of cloud computing is, as well as many other sectors of our society, throughout business, education, government and much more.
+<p></p>Change is exciting. More to come.
 

_posts/2010-10-06-youtube-api-review.html

@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 ---
 
 
-One of the keys to YouTube's success as a video sharing platform is its successful API that allows developers and site owners to embed, share and distribute YouTube content across the Intertubes. <img src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/api-evangelist/Youtube-Google-Code-Screenshot.PNG"  width="375" align="right" /> As with many of its other products, Google starts with the essential API ecosystem building blocks:
-<ul >
+One of the keys to YouTube's success as a video sharing platform is its successful API that allows developers and site owners to embed, share and distribute YouTube content across the Intertubes. <img class="c1" src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/api-evangelist/Youtube-Google-Code-Screenshot.PNG" alt="" width="375" align="right" /> As with many of its other products, Google starts with the essential API ecosystem building blocks:
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>Dashboard
      </li>
      <li>Quickstart
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
      <li>Blog
      </li>
 </ul>In addition, YouTube really support its partner and developers with:
-<ul >
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>Partners Showcase
      </li>
      <li>App Gallery
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@
      <li>White Label Player
      </li>
 </ul>Google also enforces brand integrity with a few tools:
-<ul >
+<ul class="mainlist">
      <li>Branding Guidelines
      </li>
      <li>Compatibility
      </li>
      <li>Terms
      </li>
 </ul>Google definitely has a solid formula for replicating its API ecosystems in its different products, and the <a href="http://code.google.com/apis/youtube/overview.html">YouTube developer area</a> is an excellent example of this formula being applied to a media API.
-Like Google's other projects, YouTube utilizes <a href="http://code.google.com">Google Code</a> as the repository for its API community and code.
+<p></p>Like Google's other projects, YouTube utilizes <a href="http://code.google.com">Google Code</a> as the repository for its API community and code.
 

_posts/2010-10-07-biz-dev-20.html

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: 'Biz Dev 2.0'
+url: 'http://apievangelist.com2010/10/07/biz-dev-2-0/'
+image: ''
+---
+
+
+Several years ago, <a href="http://www.flickr.com">Flickr</a> co-founder Caterina Fake coined the phrase "<a href="http://caterina.net/archive/000996.html">Biz Dev 2.0</a>" in a blog post explaining how several small companies had approached FLickr wanting to provide services that the photo-sharing site didn't feature. <img class="c1" src="http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/flickr.jpg" alt="" width="325" align="right" /> She noted that Flickr executives had little time in their schedules to arrange meetings to hash out these partnerships, and instead encouraged companies to "feel free to apply for a Commercial API key and build something off the API."
+<p></p>"Biz Dev 2.0," she called it.
+<p></p>Fake describes the traditional sorts of business development processes -- "spending a lot of money on dry cleaning, animating your powerpoint, drinking stale coffee in windowless conference rooms and scouring the thesaurus looking for synonyms for "synergy". Not to mention trying to get hopelessly overbooked people to return your email. And then after the deal was done, squabbling over who dealt with the customer service."
+<p></p>While a Web 1.0 world made partnerships and integration challenging, a Web 2.0 world has the advantage of the API, something that removes many of the bureaucratic, legal, and technical obstacles.
+<p></p>So by developing and marketing your API, your company can take advantage of new technologies and new business development practices.
+

_posts/2010-10-07-boxnet-review.html

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: 'Box.net Review'
+url: 'http://apievangelist.com2010/10/07/box-net-review/'
+image: ''
+---
+
+
+Online storage and collaboration tool <a href="http://www.box.net%3EBox.net%3E/a%3E%20offers%20a%20robust%20API%20for%20file%20management,%20as%20well%20as%20an%20%3Ca%20href=">OpenBox Developer</a> area for those working with the API.
+<p></p>The developer area offers the following pieces:
+<ul class="mainlist">
+     <li>Introduction to OpenBox Actions
+     </li>
+     <li>Getting Started Guide for API
+     </li>
+     <li>Easy Signup
+     </li>
+     <li>Project Setup Page
+     </li>
+</ul>And Box.net provides several flavors to its API:
+<ul class="mainlist">
+     <li>REST
+     </li>
+     <li>SOAP
+     </li>
+     <li>XML-RPC
+     </li>
+</ul>It also provide ssome some great code samples and libraries in all the top programming languages.
+<p></p>There is a list of of all the API functions on the left hand menu, broken down into categories:
+<ul class="mainlist">
+     <li>Authentication
+     </li>
+     <li>File and Folder Operations
+     </li>
+     <li>Sharing
+     </li>
+     <li>Tagging
+     </li>
+     <li>Commenting
+     </li>
+     <li>Download and Upload
+     </li>
+</ul>Box.net supports its API with a developer blog and also provides an email address to contact Box.net directly.
+<p></p>There is also a mobile API offering.
+<p></p>While I think Box.net offers a solid API, the API developer community or ecosystem is lacking. Its pretty evident the API came solely out of the Box.net development team.
+<p></p>The API community lacks consistency and seems to be spread between developers.box.net and box.net/developers. The overall approach lacks community and even has some broken links.
+<p></p>Box.net talks about some partners and API implementations on its blog, but doesn't showcase its developers or partners. In some ways this makes the API look like an after thought, and could give people pause before integrating it as they might fear they won't get much attention as part of the community..
+<p></p>Without actual experience in integration of course, this is all speculation. Although I think this reflects a common approach to delivering an API. Companies come out with a strong product, but without a solid business, marketing and management approach it can prompt people to explore other API solutions.
+<div class="zemanta-pixie c2">
+     <a class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Enhanced by Zemanta" href="http://www.zemanta.com/"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img c1" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=5c29baf6-c633-4c64-b115-ad1605040296" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript">
+</script></span>
+</div>
+