This is the pre-debate warmup show for N-TEN’s “Great Open API Debate” at http://nten.typepad.com/newsletter/2006/10/the_great_open_.html. Looking at the roster, I can see at least one speaker, Peter Campbell from Goodwill Industries, who has clearly understood the value of an open API. Check out http://nten.typepad.com/newsletter/2006/07/seven_questions.html for his take on open APIs. I’m really hoping that Peter will swing the bat well for our sector. Peter, my hopes rest with you.
However, everyone else on the panel is a vendor but even there not all vendors are equal. Convio and GetActive sent their co-founders which says a lot about how seriously they take this. Funny, Convio’s salesepeople always prefers to talk more about Vinod, their CEO, instead of their CTO. Their CTO has an unbelievable resume.
I’m really hoping Nick Ballenger of DIA will come through as well on the technical side and that he gets a chance to speak of the upcoming Joomla! – DIA integration that’s in the works. It’s not an open API in the sense that it can be used as a mashup but it’s wonderful news for nonprofits that are Joomla! users.
What’s interesting is who is missing… where’s Blackbaud? And where are the case management vendors? Yes, yes, I know that there’s not enough room to include everyone else (much like an acceptance speech at the Oscars) but Blackbaud has a much higher market capitalization at $1.1 billion than Kintera, (and even if they were public) Convio and GetActive combined.
Apparently, Blackbaud IS going to be there (at least my Blackbaud source thinks so). Shaun Sullivan, Blackbaud’s CTO, will be at the debate. Here’s his details:
Shaun Sullivan is the chief technology officer at Blackbaud. He has been building, designing, and supporting software solutions for nonprofits for more than 15 years. Since joining Blackbaud in 1989, he has played a key role in every major release of the company’s flagship product, The Raiser’s Edge®. Mr. Sullivan also led development of RE:NetSolutionsâ„¢, The Information Edgeâ„¢ and, most recently, Blackbaud® NetCommunityâ„¢. As chief technology officer, he leads the teams that focus on the company’s technical direction and application of emerging technologies. He graduated with a degree in management information systems from Nichols College in Dudley, MA.
Source: http://www.blackbaud.com/events/bb_conf/charleston/speakers.aspx
Let’s take a look at market capitalization for all the vendors for the debate:
Salesforce.com — $4.52 billion
Kintera — $55.43 million
Convio — private
GetActive — private
Source: Yahoo! Finance 10/17/2006
To be honest, the Little Three and Salesforce.com can really benefit from an open API as they’re already on the Web and it’s fairly trivial to create an API from the skeletons of their web applications. Blackbaud is in more trouble as they’re strictly a client-server application but who knows whether or not their “Infinity” project will take off.
For whatever reason, I think the pro-open API forces (myself included) have positioned this as a non-profit vs. CRM ASP battle when it’s much wider in scope. Basically, any application that becomes a line of business application for a non-profit should have an open API. This means applications such as Fund E-Z, Sage FAS Accounting and the New York city social services player, Foothold Technologies’ AWARDS database. I can name more names. And I’d like to see those names represented in future debates.
A list of questions I’d like to see asked would be:
- Are you or have you ever been a proponent of open APIs? (Yes, it IS like that)
- What are your reasons for not having an open API?
- Do you feel that the creation of an open API for your software is too costly or is of little benefit to your bottom line?
- Would you ever be interested in creating a Web 2.0 interface for your product?
- Are you interested in what AJAX could do for your apps’ UI?
Man, I can’t wait to be listening to this debate. Good job N-TEN for getting the ball rolling but let’s make sure this ball rolls over a lot of the smaller vendors too. The long tail of nonprofit tech vendors needs a good snap!
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