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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.