Robert Fox wrote:
>> I heard someplace recently that APIs are the newest form of vendor 
>> lock-in.  What's your take?
> 
> If you use a design pattern like MVC on top of the API (assuming you're building a web app on top of the API),

  then it doesn't have to be a lock-in scenario.

That's exactly what I have done to create a suite of library services 
that are currently being integrated into a new web site.  It should be 
noted, however, that using a MVC pattern doesn't mean that content 
brought in via a API in a data access layer can only be consumed using a 
web browser.  For my services, I've created multiple implementations of 
the View layer.  For example, a staff directory, which I obtain using an 
API I wrote which accesses an external staff directory app brings the 
data into a model which can be viewed as html, xml, json, and even will 
produce a dynamically generated PDF that staff can print off and place 
on their cubicle wall.  Other services have data related information 
(workshops, events, etc) have a view which produces iCal.