Once upon a time websites were built upon owned databases that served up static web pages displaying proprietary data queried from these databases.  Not anymore! Enter the world of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) . . . the buzz word this year at SXSW 2010 Interactive.  Inside the Austin Convention Center, you could visit the “Circus Mashimus,” lounge set up for developers and API providers to meet and network.  Inside you could meet and talk with API providers such as: Best Buy, CaféPress, NetFlix, Billboard, The New York Times and Hallmark Cards (who just announced the release of their first set of APIs to the world here at SXSW).

Inside Circus Mashimus there where API demos at the Geek Sideshow where I met Michael Scherotter, Media Experience Evangelist and Twitter Synergist at Microsoft.  Michael showed me a desktop app he built based on Microsoft Silverlight and APIs to show Billboard chart info, New York Times articles, and Best Buy CD info when looking for info on a band.  CaféPress, who is in the business of print-on-demand T-shirt, gifts, and merchandise, built APIs to enable developers to access their print-on-demand merchandising platform (a huge manufacturing facility) via their apps through their XML web services.  Very cool!

Best Buy was really pushing their APIs inside the Interactive Trade Show.  They want developers to be creative and build mobile apps, web apps, gaming console apps, etc. utilizing their APIs for movie, music and store data.  Pretty innovative move for a consumer electronics retailer!  Maybe PepsiCo should consider developing a set of APIs for developers to utilize.  I’ve learned from other developers here at SXSW that there would definitely be an interest in using APIs for the Pepsi Refresh project.  Mashups and APIs are going to take over the internet . . . Onward and forward with the next exciting chapter in internet development!