Rediff To Open Up Its API; Launching Developer Platform Based On Facebook Markup Language, OpenSocial

Update: As per the official press release, Rediff the initiative is called Sociali. What’s most interesting – and most commenting on the initiative don’t appear to have realized this – is that the opening up of the API extends beyond Rediffs social applications like connexions, iLand and iShare. This means that it will eventually be possible to create applications for the news portal (Rediff mentioned apps like creating a timeline for news). The one I’m looking forward to most, are applications for Rediff Moneywiz…how about a “Create your own Index” app?

Original story: You’re reading it here first: MediaNama has learned that Nasdaq listed Rediff.com is planning to open up its API for developers, allowing them to create applications. We’re not sure of when Rediff is officially going to announce this, but a confirmation comes by means of a link – http://developer.rediff.com/ . Rediff is offering grants of Rs. 250,000 for innovating application ideas. Details on the documentation here.

The word is that iShare, Rediff’s video sharing platform, will be the first service to be be opened to developers. Interestingly, Rediff has decided to comply with the FBML(Facebook markup language) and OpenSocial. Looks like there’s money to be made for application developers – to create an Apps Economy.

Thoughts on Apps

This is interesting in the context that at Proto yesterday, I was discussing “Application Fatigue” with a few people. A month or so ago, I logged into Facebook, and individually deleted most of the applications that I’ve subscribed to. I prefer Facebook Mobile anyway, because its cleaner and more usable. In fact, someone mentioned that they’ve actually begun to appreciate Facebooks core features much more now.

Perhaps this is natural progression for the Apps space – that only the ones that offer significant value to a user will sustain, and the others will die after a limited time-span of success. That’s a thread that persisted throughout the day yesterday at Proto – people spoke of SEO for Blogs, “Viral Coefficient” and other jazz, but my take is that while virality will get you new users (and “uniques”), but it is repeat usage that counts, and that only comes if there is value in your product and content.

What kind of growth do you want? A spike (sharp rise, sharp fall), or a sustained one?

What this means for Rediff

Most important aspect of this development is that it allows Rediff to reduce expenditure on developing new features, with an incentive (revenue share) for developers. Any established company has processes, systems – and perhaps too many heads – that slow down development and innovation. Which is why people expect real innovation from startups, and not large corporations. This effectively is outsourcing of development, with long term monetary incentive for developers.

(PS: you may also send up an anonymous tip-off here)

6 Comments

Nikhil Pahwa July 21, 2008

Shyam : that was with reference to those who claim to be commenting on the basis of what was presented at Proto, where this was mentioned, not with reference to any conversation. They dont appear to have realized it extends to news.

shyam July 21, 2008

Nikhil,

I guess this is an extension of the recent conversation, but if you take a look at the API docs, you'll see the calls are entirely made to profile data. Now, you may have seen/heard something that, as readers, we have not seen/heard, so the quip "most commenting on the initiative don’t appear to have realized this," is a bit over the line.

There may well be a lot of things that are on its way from the Rediff stable, but since when is it kosher to report on something that a company's pushing at you like it is a fact even before you have seen it in flesh and blood? Even the Rediff presser does not have anything on the timeline, nor does the developer website say anything about the news/xyz other properties, other than that it will be opened up later.

So, if they have told you something in person, which you've not written in your first version of the story, how do you expect your readers to realize what has happened in a private conversation?

shyam July 19, 2008

Couple of things:

1) The application economy functions very differently. It has near-zero value attached to the quality of usage, as long as the usage is there.

2) Entirely about playing for scale in terms of impressions/usage and law of averages in terms of products. Run CPM on massive inventory and hope you have a good success to failure ratio in terms of numbers.

3) Unless they plan to open up email for apps, I am fairly certain there is a new big product they'll bring out soon in the SN space. Poking or "flirting" has little usage on a news site. As they claim, ishare could be the first one, but again, limited use case since Ishare is primarily a content destination site.

4) It is a platform play and it is looking to hold on to value by lock-ins. Rather interesting how little there is info on how the application will be "hosted by rediff."

5) Good to see a company in India finally releasing an 'API' which actually is hosted at an endpoint with decent documentation. Though there are swathes missing in terms of response codes etc. Still, a good start.

Chandan Kumar July 19, 2008

Another day another platform nothing new, But Its good that rediff is opening up.
I hope that other big Indian web companies also start taking this seriously as well.
They haven't provided much info on the developers site till yet.

Come on pahwa get more details out yaar.