/ mash-up \MASH-up\ n: a Web site or Web application that seamlessly combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience Source: Wikipedia
Check out this recent article on mashups from the Chronicle and this one.
Check out housingmaps.com, one of the more famous mashes, combining craigslist with google maps, and weatherbonk.com, which combines weather data with google maps. More and more companies are providing access to their data. Recently, EBay made their web service free.
Database -- Server ------html ----- Client
Each organization's database closed to the world (except through web site interface)
Diagram:
Organizations expose their data through programmatic web services.
Programmers can access data from various sources, process it, and display in interesting ways.
Computers talking to computers over the Internet
Diagram:
Definitions:
Web Service-- A server-based program that takes requests from other programs and returns data without presentation (XML not HTML)
API-- Application Program Interface. The specification of the web services provided by a company.
XML-- Extensible Markup Language. How data is passed between servers.
Examples
Google, Amazon, Technorati, EBay, virtually all new Web 2.0 applications
Which is free?
Technorati example through Wolber's peoplicious.com (using Add Person bookmarklet and blog: http://sustainableapplepie.org/)
Examples code: Google's Python API -- Instructor note: code in /home/wolber/pythons/googlelib.py
Read
Watch screencast: John Udell on Intermediation
Try at least three mashups other than HousingMaps (you can find some here:http://www.programmableweb.com/mashups )
Write a minimum of 2 page blog entry on the reading, watching, and the mashups you try. In your writing, answer the following questions:
1. In your own words, explain the phenomenon of Mashups.
2. What do companies have to gain by making their data available to mashers? Are there some companies that have more to gain?
3. What do companies have to lose by making their data available?
4. Describe the coolest mashups you found.