Creating an API is no mean feat! Talk to many enterprise software vendors, and ask for a copy of their API. Some have it. Some have what they think is an API but of very little use to another. Some have never thought of having an API in the first place – what? You want to integrate with my software? Why do you want to do that for? I am certainly not going to give you the ability to wreck my software? I know this is of the old school mentality – but it is also reality for some software vendors in the market place
Getting an API out require lot of work. Most people accepts, especially those in the business side rather than the technology side that an API is vital to business continuity – in terms of reaching out and enriching your product/solution offering. API allows you to create a community around you. The community has the capacity and innovative thinking to extend your product to areas that you never dreamt of. Many enterprise software vendors loose this opportunity due to their silo thinking, perhaps from a dominating position today.
The latest to get an API is Freshbooks . Freshbooks is a company admired by many enterprise software players, among them are number of EIPP hub providers. According to Dennis Howlett, Freshbooks has already integrated with Basecamp. Freshbooks has more than 185,000 registered users and Basecamp has well over a million. As you can expect, I have accounts with both – not active accounts, I must admit. As Dennis recognised, this allows development community to dream up new applications using not just one solution but both – giving new meaning to enterprise mashups!
Dennis, thanks for the tip.