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OpenSocial Findings #1

Posted by Ian Suttle on November 7, 2007
Filed under Social Networking

I've been giving a fair amount of attention to Google's OpenSocial platform over the past week. Here are some notes on what I've learned so far:

You can build OpenSocial apps as Google Gadgets or on your own.
Gadgets can be easily added to iGoogle and Orkut. Not sure how other sites will handle these.
Orkut, Ning, and Plaxo are the only sites which have exposed any OpenSocial data.
Authentication can be done via authSubRequest where you receive a token back, or you can collect uname/pw and auth the user yourself server side.
User data security is an issue: http://hyper.to/blog/link/opensocial-insecurity-no-user-to-app-authentication/
Running issues list: http://groups.google.com/group/opensocial-api/web/opensocial-issues-list

You have to apply to a host before anyone let's you participate. Orkut let me in, but Plaxo didn’t let me participate. They suggested I build my app first, then get back to them. I haven't tried Ning.

The OpenSocial libraries and data are very buggy right now. Google is quick to remind us we're part of a closed beta. I've also read reports of people in different parts of the world having different experience with uptime. For me, I was able to add my test Gadget to Orkut's sandbox environment and have it work, but it wouldn't work as an iGoogle gadget.

I'm also working on an OpenSocial C# wrapper for server side communications which I'll be hosting with CodePlex at http://www.codeplex.com/OpenSocial. It's tough to write against OpenSocial when it's not stable, but I'm a glutton for punishment.

If you'd like, feel free to keep track of my OpenSocial bookmarks.

Google Gives Details on OpenSocial APIGoogle announces OpenSocial API, an answer to the develop woes of app creation for social networks.OpenSocial.Net 0.1b ReleasedOpenSocial.Net C# wrapper 0.1b released includes a People Data API.My Visit to the MySpace OpenSocial Hack-A-ThonThe MySpace OpenSocial hack-a-thon was the hack it was cracked up to be.