kokogiak.com/amazon
If you like Google because it's so quick and simple, and you like Amazon because it has such a wide selection, you'll really enjoy Amazon Light. A clever programmer designed this page as bare-bones version of the online mega-retailer, with just the basic functionality -- you search, you buy, you're done. Now, the really interesting part of this site is that Amazon had nothing to do with it -- all they did was provide data-level access to outside developers via a Web programming interface,. This independent Web site took that access and built an alternative for people who don't want to face Amazon's sometimes overwhelming shopping experience.
For another example of this, see AmazonExplorer,
www.quasimondo.com/amazonSearch.html , a Flash-based Amazon shopping tool.
I expect we'll see more large sites offering "under-the-hood" access to their online information, and more intrepid programmers building interesting alternative interfaces, tailored for different online uses. Think of EMI offering their music catalog, or Reuters offering their news feeds.
Does the reward of having creative technology enthusiasts developing appications with your data outweigh the risk of exposing that data? Well, another company that's currently providing "Web service"-level access is Google, and they're known to have a fairly good understanding of the Web.
Got a site to share with me? Email tfsmith@reedbusiness.com
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