Discussion of Netflix API on Mashery

An API (Application Programming Interface) is used by programs to let users like developers, customers use a program for different reasons. Developers are able to use a program's API to enhance their own programs and add more usability without having to actually develop their own code for the functionality. Netflix developed an API that let many developers see their code, in return netflix would be able to increase their processing by 10%.

There are numerous pros and cons with an API. The pros of an API let's users develop on it. If there were to be innovation, it is much quicker with many looking at the code than just the people who work for Netflix. Netflix coined a term, "Innovation through Iteration" the meaning of this term means that by continually updating their website every two weeks with users feedback, they be ahead of the competition in terms of User friendliness and user experience.

The cons of an API include giving out source code, that competition could use and manipulate to give them the competitive advantage. Also, if enough users use the API the financial cost to host the API through bandwidth may be a financial burden, as there may be no revenue coming through it.

For the Netflix API, I liked the case study and am intrigued at how the company has gained so much presence in the market. Although through recent decisions by the Executives at Netflix, the company seems to be losing steam. The agile business model they kept in the beginning stages helped them get them where they are now. Hulu could become a main competitor, if they also allowed movies and not just Television shows. As time goes on, more and more web streaming service companies will open which will allow customers to stream movies, tv shows, documentaries, etc and Netflix has to keep its competitive advantage by having tested UI that has customers keep coming back for more.


Netflix API: Case Study on Mashery

Creating a Google Site

Google Sites reminds me of a SAAS program, because the web application allows you to create a website easily without knowledge of HTML. The features of this web application contain: templates, editing pages, creating forms, and more. Google sites, only needs a Google Account and a web browser to run. This makes the services that Google Sites offer was a SAAS.

There are many advantages of working with Google Sites. The user does not need to know HTML to be able to create a website, and can make elaborate websites which include forms, calendars, etc. Google Sites also makes it faster for people who do know HTML to create a website. The average user will benefit from Google Sites as you can create a website through a template and be able to copy the code to make their own stand alone website.

Google sites makes it easy to create a website from a template, but it does have its drawbacks. Google Sites is limited on what you can put on the website, for example the widgets set a limited number of things you can do. While on a regular webpage, you would be able to do anything the web would allow you to. Also it is hard to change a couple of features like the layout of the template.

Google Sites is much like an Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). The software packages allows for users to create websites and things related to it. SAAS can be said to be a branch of SOA as it offers many of the same aspects as SOA does. "The SOA implementations rely on a mesh of software services. Services comprise unassociated, loosely coupled units of functionality that have no calls to each other embedded in them." These same characteristics define SAAS.

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My Google Site