This document discusses the mercantile aspects of API economies and platforms. It notes that API ecosystems can change at the whim of business executives, and that platforms often want to own the end user experience rather than just focus on developers. Additionally, it suggests that the enterprise side of the "API economy" is moving slower, relying more on existing sales and development patterns rather than new protocols. Finally, it emphasizes that understanding a product manager's goals for an API is important for determining the nature of potential partnerships.

1. A MERCANTILE API ECONOMY
@wattersjames

2. Why do I care about this stuff?
Cloud Foundry Biz Dev Guy
.org
.com
OH “The future its like…all PaaS and APIs”

3. The API Economy Is—
ON!

4. AN AWESOME WAY TO SELL
….to developers as the end consumer

5. …but partnership is different

6. A large part of system design is driven by the
cost, latency and throughput ratios for different
types of storage and networking technologies.
This is not very different from how the laws of
physics constrain the possible designs for a
hammer or a kitchen sink, except that in the
case of data systems the laws of physics --@jaykreps
change over time. (Linkedin)
API ECOSYSTEMS CHANGE
….often at the whim of a business executive

7. Unlike developer focused
tools many platforms want to
own the end user
experience…….

8. APIS ARE ABOUT TRADE
….what economic era are we in?

9. • Focus on positive balance of
trade with all partners
• Sell the finished goods while
controlling access to raw
resources
• “Staple ports” give first right of
refusal of all raw goods to
Most popular after discovery of vast new resources…..

11. “Upcoming Changes to the Netflix API Program”

12. “…We will deliver the
end user experience…
thank you very much….”

13. The programming interface is open:
the data is only available to existing
subscribers through their existing sales
agreements

14. Enterprise side of „API economy‟
is moving slower. There is a
strong reliance on existing sales
and development patterns.

15. More „people‟ than protocol…
Balance of trade is historically complex outside of
reselling relationships….

16. Do you know the product
manager for the API?
What are their hopes and
dreams?
Are they ready to concede their
user interface to the ecosystem?
Is full API coverage more
important than time to market to
them?
Do they want to share data or
just have you resell a final
product?

17. Biz Dev Bifurcation

18. Did Twitter become embedded in the iPhone through the
appstore?

19. …..cool story bro