Application Program Integrators ( API ) are one of the wonders of the web age. To a non-technical mind like mine, I imagine them as translation devices that enable data to switch seamlessly from one format to another. They must be clever wee devices.

At the largest social media conference in the world, SXSW the American retailer Best Buy announed that it is releasing its entire product catalogue as an API.

Last week the UK based newspaper Guardian announced a similar move

The week before the Hack the Government people continued to apply pressure on the UK government by organising a day of legitimate API creation.

This movement suggests that corporates and governments are beginning to realise that proprietary data is a concept of the past. If individuals are happy to share their lives on Facebook, why not corporates and governments their business models and processes ? Better interaction will promote trust and loyalty as well.

Who else would you like to see releasing APIs ?