This is ironic given that their API is "standards based".

http://www.serialssolutions.com/ss_360_link_features.html

What, exactly, are vendors worried about when they hide their API behind an NDA?

Even more disturbing, why bother advertising your API at all if a
community can't be built to create innovative new ideas around it?

It's a wonder why libraries put up with any of this.

-Ross.

On Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 12:19 PM, Yitzchak Schaffer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Yitzchak Schaffer wrote:
>
>
> > Assuming that Serials Solutions will
> > allow some kind of sharing for these - they make clients sign a NDA
> > before they show you the docs.  I'm waiting to hear their response; I
> > would be surprised if they wouldn't allow sharing of something like this
> > among clients.
> >
>
>  D'oh: here's the lowdown from SerSol:
>
>  "The terms of the NDA do not allow for client signatories to share of
>  any information related to the proprietary nature of our API's with
>  other clients. However, if you would like to share them with us we can
>  make them available to other API clients upon request. I think down the
>  road we may be able to come up with creative ways to do this - perhaps
>  an API user's group, but for now we cannot allow sharing of this kind of
>  information outside of your institution."
>
>
>
>  --
>  Yitzchak Schaffer
>  Systems Librarian
>  Touro College Libraries
>  33 West 23rd Street
>  New York, NY 10010
>  Tel (212) 463-0400 x230
>  Fax (212) 627-3197
>  [log in to unmask]
>