Hi Doug<div><br></div><div>Geek-rant-mode on<br></div><div><br></div><div>The notion of an "open interface" is a published, readily understandable (at least to a technical audience) set of protocols for connecting to an online service.<br>
</div><div><br></div><div>Both Twitter and Facebook have what are called APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow you to either extend the functionality or interact with the underlying service. If you have a look at <a href="http://twitter.com/downloads">http://twitter.com/downloads</a> you'll see a list of applications that make use of the Twitter API. Some of these applications are written by the Twitter crowd, but some are from individuals who presumably just had an "itch to scratch".</div>
<div><br></div><div>I've been playing with the Facebook API lately - mostly just to just to get my head around how the technology works - and it strikes me as an interesting adjunct to OST. Because I'm probably more focussed on technology than on OST (just the nature of my work) I wanted to put out there the idea that Twitter, Facebook and the other "social applications" aren't closed systems; that we can not only embrace things like Twitter and Facebook but also use their open interfaces to extend them and create new value. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Geek-rant-mode off :)</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers</div><div>Tom</div><div><br></div><div> </div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 5:54 AM, douglas germann <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:76066.515@compuserve.com">76066.515@compuserve.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">Tom--<br>
<br>
Please explain this term which is new to me: open interfaces.<br>
<br>
:- Doug.<br>
<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
On Mon, 2009-03-30 at 05:41 +1030, Tom Tuddenham wrote:<br>
> Somewhat tangential but Facebook, Twitter, etc all have open<br>
> interfaces for extending their functionality.<br>
><br>
><br>
> What would make Facebook and Twitter a more worthwhile experience - or<br>
> a more enjoyable experience - for you? How can they be extended to<br>
> support OST? Apologies for such geeky questions - I'm just intrigued<br>
> by how these applications are shaping the way we all connect and<br>
> communicate and am trying to imagine where it's all headed.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Cheers<br>
> Tom<br>
><br>
> On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 11:07 PM, John Engle <<a href="mailto:john@johnengle.net">john@johnengle.net</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
> Fellow listers,<br>
><br>
> Any of you, like me, wondering what social networking<br>
> applications to spend time with and which ones don't feel<br>
> worth it?<br>
><br>
> I've certainly enjoyed connecting with quite a few of you on<br>
> Facebook, LinkedIn, and more recently, Twitter.<br>
><br>
> I'm finding Twitter particularly fascinating because of it's<br>
> speed and simplicity. I'm "following" a number of you but<br>
> welcome the opportunity to "follow" more of you. It's the<br>
> ideas, musings, activities, and resources of people like YOU<br>
> that interests me!<br>
><br>
> Here's my twitter page in case you want to connect with me<br>
> there:<br>
> <a href="http://twitter.com/johnengle" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/johnengle</a><br>
><br>
> And of-course, I welcome the opportunity to connect with you<br>
> on other social networking applications as well. Borrowing<br>
> from Lisa Heft, you're my tribe ; )<br>
><br>
> Appreciatively,<br>
><br>
> John<br>
><br>
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