It's amazing how quickly a couple of APIs seem to be changing things. Back when web services were first introduced, I thought we'd see a proliferation of APIs, but it didn't really happen to the extent I expected. Now, with the Facebook API and the Open Social API, it seems like things are really picking up; the programmable web is happening.
Marc Andreessen has posted an excellent article that discusses the Open Social API. He asks the question,
Are people really going to maintain multiple sets of front-end pages for their web sites for Facebook, Open Social, etc.?
He thinks people (websites) will maintain multiple sets of front-end pages. I agree. It's not that diffent than making provision for different browsers and mobile phones. It's mostly front-end stuff; if you have a web site that's in demand, it makes sense to provide a UI for the social networks.
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