After much hype, confusion and skepticism, a handful of Internet companies are trying to do something that has stubbornly eluded the high-tech industry: Turn the vague concept of "Web services" into a reality for the greater Internet. Amazon, Google and other Web companies have begun giving developers direct access to their databases so developers can create their own "front doors" and other paths to information, such as book listings and search results. These custom APIs (application programming interfaces) allow developers to tailor such content to their specific needs.
The experiments, which might seem technical and obscure, carry broad ramifications. Their concept turns the idea of the graphics-based Web on its head, bypassing its heavily designed home pages and sending developers straight to back-end corporate operations. In opening this new public path to their operations, companies hope to find new ways to generate business and validate the strategy behind Web services.
"The biggest surprise to me is that it continues to grow," said Nelson Minar, software engineer at Google, the popular search engine company. "I was afraid it would be a flash in the pan. But I think part of what is contributing to that is that a lot of people are just now learning Web services."
Although definitions vary, Web services generally link servers over the Internet so companies and individuals can share data in new ways beneficial to all involved. For example, a rental car company might share its inventory database with an airline so that travelers planning a trip online could easily rent a car on the airline's Web site, saving time and money for everyone.
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News source: ZDNet
