The evolution of the web is increasingly developed since dynamic web, server/database driven until more complex of program or called web app. Today, most web app uses application programming interface (API) to create mashups for its site that has more than hundred of online APIs to choose from.
According to O’Reilly and John Battelle
“Web 2.0 technologies tend to foster innovation in the assembly of systems and sites composed by pulling together features from distributed, independent developers”
In my opinion, innovation in assembly is a remixable software and API is like a toolbox that attaches in the third party website and create variety features inside the web app.
Website eventful.com is one of the webs 2.0 that offers an API for the third party. The site Eventful itself is the world’s largest collection of events and also a great way to track events, venues, and performers based on location and preferences.
Eventful APIs allow users to search the site database and follow up on upcoming interesting events or concerts. “Eventful.com is built upon a unique, open platform that enables partners and web applications to leverage Eventful’s data, features and functionality via the Eventful API” (api.evdb.com, 2009).
Moreover, Eventful uses a simple service called Restful API to provide many ways to search through eventful events, venues, performers, demands, calendar, groups, and users. Responses are formatted in either XML, JSON or YAML.
Eventful APIs are free of charge but for future might be charged fees to use Eventful’s services.
The sample of Eventful API is Eventsnearyou.info. Events near you tracks the event all over the world from Eventful, Meetup and Upcoming APIs. While the website combines with GoogleMaps API to identify the events location.
Although, the numbers of API around 3086 API were used to create 5712 mashups today (programmableweb, 2010), these numbers will continue to increase as long as human is ongoing developed new application on cyber world.
Reference:
api.eventful.com (accessed March 30, 2011)
eventful.com/ (accessed March 30, 2011)
www.programmableweb.com (accessed March 30, 2011)
oreilly.com (accessed 31 March, 2011)
Eventful.com is a neat app, especially for people who are clueless on where they decide to head out. I still use the ourbrisbane.com website to check up on things that may interest me on a Saturday night. I don’t think charging people to search for events on Eventful.com wouldn’t be a good idea, it’s understandable if charges were incurred for anyone wanting to promote an event.
No the charge will be for the Third party website who use Eventful APIs. For the normal users, you can add the event for free inside Eventful directly. For me the ourbrisbane promotes the events but lack of reviews and comments in some events. The scope is also different that eventful has events from around the world So I can find event from NZ or US from this site if I dont know other country sites.
Following the web 2.0 stream, of course, these are more and more web 2.0 applications and API. Sharing fairly is effective, I think. I’m tempted by the web site! eventful.com! Thanks.
This is an interesting web app for me. It provides many online APIs for customers and allow users to search site data base.
I think Eventful is suitable for performers and performing arts groups to use. As the article you mentioned “The site Eventful itself is the world’s largest collection of events and also a great way to track events, venues, and performers based on location and preferences.” It is a good way whether performers or fans to communicate each sides.