Comments for Times Open: Developers Gather to Discuss The New York Times APIs

Times Open: Developers Gather to Discuss The New York Times APIs

2009-02-23T10:00:00Z

Here at ReadWriteWeb, we're big fans of the Times Open strategy, the program that focuses on making the data of The New York Times more accessible to the developer community. We heralded the launch of the program, covered the first available API, and marveled at the access to content the APIs have begun to provide. Now the Times has taken another momentous step forward: bringing developers together for Times Open, the publication's inaugural API seminar.

]]> While we weren't able to attend the gathering, we did manage to track down a few attendees who blogged about the experience, found a number of people who posted messages to Twitter, and flipped through the Times Open Flickr account. Thanks to all of this, we can at least pretend we had the chance to participate - even though we don't have the Nerd Merit Badge to show for it.

So how was the event received? In our estimation, it seems like another positive step forward for the NYT.

"The message is clear," wrote Times Open attendee Taylor Barstow. "The New York Times is, suddenly, a platform company."

He also offers:

"The New York Times recognizes the need for a news platform, and wants to fill that void. Their developers understand that Web 2.0 is about openness, and are committed to opening up The Times data to outsiders (whether or not the suits--and they do wear ridiculously nice suits--agree remains to be seen). They want to create a community of hackers around their APIs, and invite community feedback to drive future innovation. The Times executives should be supremely grateful for having employees with such vision at their organization."

Attendee Daniel Tunkelang sees promise in the Times Open strategy but still questions how far the NYT is willing to go:

"But there's a big catch: the New York Times is paranoid of diluting its brand equity by mixing up user contributions with their carefully vetted writing. As a result, all comments are moderated, and their aggregation of blogs linking to articles is a limited, proprietary system (Blogrunner). The New York Times wants to have its cake and eat it - all the benefits from users' active engagement without the costs of diluting their brand.
"I think their APIs make this possible, at least in theory."

But the big news coming out of the gathering - according to Allen Stern of CenterNetworks - is the release of a new API called TimesNewswire, which will "give developers access to live headlines. Attendee Kellan called this new API a New York Times firehose and noted, 'NewsWire API is the paper's stream of consciousness.'"

We definitely appreciate the direction that the NYT is taking. They seem genuinely dedicated to embracing openness and have created some momentum in that regard. We're especially looking forward to getting a chance to review the new API - which sounds like it may increase that momentum exponentially.

So where does the NYT get the motivation for all of this openness? For more on the thinking behind Times Open, watch the Yahoo Developer Network's interview with NYT's Derek Gottfrid, Senior Software Architect - the man behind the Times Open gathering. He offers some additional insight into the theory behind Times Open and hints at some of the development in the future - like how NYT will continue to leverage Hadoop.

Comment from slot makine on 2011-01-12

2011-01-12T16:19:29Z

Good information. Thank you...

Comment from unionweb on 2011-01-05

2011-01-05T16:32:28Z

Great post as always. Going to read your other posts. Thank you. http://www.unionweb.org

Comment from unionweb on 2011-01-05

2011-01-05T16:32:09Z

Great post as always. Going to read your other posts. Thank you.

Comment from yirmidortluk on 2010-11-20

2010-11-21T01:11:49Z

This is already causing layoffs and downsizing in many publications and it is only going to get worse if these companies do not reinvent themselves.

Comment from video on 2010-11-11

2010-11-11T08:11:19Z

Internet usage in that demographic is now significant, so fighting against the flow must just be pure obstinacy...

Comment from uzman on 2010-11-05

2010-11-06T05:24:45Z

hmm..I didn't realise that some uzman people have the power to stop or delete blogs. OK he may not agree with the evolutionist comments and there might be some attacks on religion...but surely he has heard of freedom of speech.
again, cannot comment as I do not know what the blog was about and there might have been some comments that were a bit over the top

Comment from huseyin on 2010-10-31

2010-10-31T17:04:31Z

It was still a big win and the reporters were professional and knowledgeable..

Comment from makale on 2010-10-31

2010-10-31T09:17:40Z

hmm..I didn't realise that some people have the power to stop or delete blogs. OK he may not agree with the evolutionist comments and there might be some attacks on religion...but surely he has heard of freedom of speech.
again, cannot comment as I do not know what the blog was about and there might have been some comments that were a bit over the top.

Comment from bilgisayar servis on 2010-10-28

2010-10-28T19:55:56Z

It was still a big win and the reporters were professional and knowledgeable

Comment from video on 2010-10-20

2010-10-20T21:13:32Z

There will be no food fights on LinkedIn.

Comment from Filfiota on 2010-10-20

2010-10-20T21:11:42Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track;)

Comment from videolik on 2010-10-10

2010-10-10T18:10:20Z

Internet usage in that demographic is now significant, so fighting against the flow must just be pure obstinacy.

Comment from Westinghouse Servisi on 2010-10-06

2010-10-06T11:20:49Z

Internet usage in that demographic is now significant, so fighting against the flow must just be pure obstinacy.

Comment from hugo oyunları on 2010-10-03

2010-10-03T21:03:15Z

I work when we were featured in a cover story in BW. The story was good, but for all the time and effort we did not even receive a link, despite being the main featured advertiser and providing unique data and analysis. It was still a big win and the reporters were professional and knowledgeable,

Comment from giydirme oyunu on 2010-10-03

2010-10-03T21:01:33Z

This is already causing layoffs and downsizing in many publications and it is only going to get worse if these companies do not reinvent themselves.

Comment from mario oyunu on 2010-10-03

2010-10-03T21:00:12Z

It's an important step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes.

Comment from giydirme oyunları on 2010-10-03

2010-10-03T20:49:42Z

The story was good, but for all the time and effort we did not even receive a link, despite being the main featured advertiser and providing unique data and analysis. It was still a big win and the reporters were professional and knowledgeable

Comment from mario oyunları on 2010-10-03

2010-10-03T20:44:28Z

It was still a big win and the reporters were professional and knowledgeable, but for traffic and pagerank it actually would have made more sense to go after a popular blogger on the subject.

Comment from biojavu on 2010-09-28

2010-09-28T18:18:00Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track;)

Comment from travesti on 2010-09-12

2010-09-12T11:55:42Z

There will be no food fights on LinkedIn.

Comment from Komedi Filmleri on 2010-08-25

2010-08-25T15:21:24Z

Further, as more advertisers realize the targeting and ROI of online advertising budgets will be pulled from print and other sources to online. This is already causing layoffs and downsizing in many publications and it is only going to get worse if these companies do not reinvent themselves.

Comment from Aşık Etme Duası on 2010-08-23

2010-08-23T13:51:52Z

I encountered a similar problem where I work when we were featured in a cover story in BW. The story was good, but for all the time and effort we did not even receive a link, despite being the main featured advertiser and providing unique data and analysis. It was still a big win and the reporters were professional and knowledgeable, but for traffic and pagerank it actually would have made more sense to go after a popular blogger on the subject.

Print won’t go away but as more readers flock to online the inability of many traditional publishers to monetize quickly enough combined with decreasing circulation could pose quite a significant challenge. Further, as more advertisers realize the targeting and ROI of online advertising budgets will be pulled from print and other sources to online. This is already causing layoffs and downsizing in many publications and it is only going to get worse if these companies do not reinvent themselves.

Comment from bolu on 2010-08-08

2010-08-08T20:15:40Z

eir editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons

Comment from araba oyunları on 2010-08-01

2010-08-01T14:15:52Z

Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes

Comment from aşk oyunları on 2010-07-31

2010-07-31T20:36:42Z

step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes

Comment from travesti on 2010-07-23

2010-07-23T09:16:37Z

step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes.

i agree with you thanks admin nice sharing

Comment from mp3 dinle on 2010-05-16

2010-05-16T23:57:45Z

the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons.

Comment from Shawn Harden on 2010-05-11

2010-05-11T23:00:53Z

I think it is a good idea for the New York Times to promote a flow of open information while having a degree of oversight and moderation at the same time. After all, they have to protect their brand. Great information admin.

Comment from dinle on 2010-05-05

2010-05-05T23:20:18Z

am amazed that big companies are still doing this sort of thing in 2008.

In 1998 it was stupid, but relatively understandable given that the people making the policy decisions were were likely to be in the 50+, suit wearin

Comment from travesti on 2010-04-29

2010-04-29T09:41:04Z

There will be no food fights on LinkedIn.

Comment from şampiyonlar ligi on 2010-04-01

2010-04-01T11:58:22Z

Dan Nye, the chief executive of LinkedIn, has looked closely at the frenzy around Facebook, and has made a crucial decision: There will be no food fights on LinkedIn.

Comment from visco yatak on 2010-03-30

2010-03-30T21:05:23Z

So exactly what's the value prop for NYT platform? I am lost reading this blog going ...so what!

Comment from video on 2010-03-15

2010-03-15T23:08:24Z

step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes.

i agree with you thanks admin nice sharing

Comment from Forex Automated Trading System on 2010-03-03

2010-03-03T09:45:10Z

It's an important step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes.

Thanks for share this post.:)

Comment from cam balkon on 2010-02-25

2010-02-25T20:28:49Z

So exactly what's the value prop for NYT platform? I am lost reading this blog going ...so what!

Comment from film seyret on 2010-02-04

2010-02-04T15:16:12Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track.

Comment from minibüs kiralama kiralama on 2010-01-28

2010-01-28T12:28:16Z

I am amazed that big companies are still doing this sort of thing in 2008.

In 1998 it was stupid, but relatively understandable given that the people making the policy decisions were were likely to be in the 50+, suit wearing demographic and unlikely to be internet users. Internet usage in that demographic is now significant, so fighting against the flow must just be pure obstinacy.

Comment from oyun on 2010-01-27

2010-01-27T21:14:18Z

Thank You

Comment from sesso on 2010-01-22

2010-01-22T22:40:02Z

We also used the API's on our site.

Comment from ingilizce çeviri on 2010-01-22

2010-01-22T21:56:33Z

That's the API that we were searching for.

Comment from oyun on 2010-01-08

2010-01-09T01:53:49Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track;)

Comment from sohbet odalari on 2009-09-17

2009-09-17T20:39:49Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track

Comment from bedava sohbet on 2009-09-17

2009-09-17T20:36:31Z

We've compiled the photos, videos, and Twitter chat for 200 software platforms. Here's the page for Times Open. www.blueask.gen.tr

Comment from yonja on 2009-09-17

2009-09-17T20:34:49Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track.

Comment from kral oyun on 2009-08-23

2009-08-23T21:03:27Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track;)

Comment from sohbet on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T22:34:32Z

step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons.

Comment from barbie oyunları on 2009-07-04

2009-07-04T17:20:20Z

Dan Nye, the chief executive of LinkedIn, has looked closely at the frenzy around Facebook, and has made a crucial decision: There will be no food fights on LinkedIn.

Yes, he’s rushing to copy the electronic underpinnings of Facebook’s elegant application programming interface, or A.P.I., that allows outside developers to weave their own programs into its site. But because his site is aimed at professionals seeking to network, he wants to keep these add-ons all business, unlike the unrestrained goofiness on Facebook, where programs let you turn your friends into vampires, draw graffiti on their pages, and challenge them to stimulating news quizzes.

Comment from klip on 2009-07-04

2009-07-04T17:11:34Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track;)

Comment from lida on 2009-06-26

2009-06-26T12:21:36Z

Thank you so much for content, you would track;)

Comment from muhabbet on 2009-06-10

2009-06-10T14:46:42Z

thank you

Comment from sohbet on 2009-03-15

2009-03-16T00:36:49Z

step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes.

Comment from DJ Chang on 2009-02-23

2009-02-23T15:53:27Z

The NYTimes anchors the emerging growth of open software platforms. It's an important step forward for NYT, but the fear for developers is that their editors will shut down the feeds for any obscure reasons. Fortunately, it's not much work to integrate with NYTimes.

We've compiled the photos, videos, and Twitter chat for 200 software platforms. Here's the page for Times Open. http://sw.tearn.com/2009/02/times-open.html

Comment from Quli on 2009-02-23

2009-02-23T15:40:12Z

So exactly what's the value prop for NYT platform? I am lost reading this blog going ...so what!