Rich Buggy

Lately I’ve been looking at a number of SaaS providers covering a range of areas. It amazes me how many of them have no API or only a reporting API. If you’re thinking of building a SaaS start-up then you should be thinking about creating an API that allows your customers to do everything they can with your user interface.

Service providers with this API have an obvious advantage when it comes to migration and integration but they also have a more subtle and more important advantage. When reviewing potential providers I looked at those with an API before those without. Your SaaS may be the best but without this API are potential customers even considering you?

Committing unlawful acts one month, Premier elect the next.

The NSW Government has imploded and is no longer capable of governing this state. It’s time for the Governor of NSW to stand up for the people of NSW. If this is all we have left to run the state then it’s time to sack the government.

It’s that time of year again. Tickets are available now http://www.webblast.com.au/

After reading Pia’s post about opening up government data I went back to a post I made the day the NSW Government announced that it was opening up government data. That was the 4^th September. We were promised that a trial feed was being tested and a full feed would be opened on 21^st Septemer. It’s now 15^th October (nearly a month after the feed should have started) and the one government dataset covering NSW comes  from the Commonwealth Government.

Where’s the data Nathan?

Let’s be honest. The Commonwealth Government has started to open access to data. So have other states. The NSW Government has simply extended it’s policy of making grand announcements with no intention of following through. If there really is data available then put it in your data catalogue so we can find it!?!? I guess they’ll re-announce this every 12 months in between announcing yet another rail line that won’t be built.

Normally I’m highly critical of the NSW Government but they seem to finally be doing something right. According to Builder AU the NSW Government is now starting to open data to developers. They’re even running a competition for developers and have an entire website dedicate to providing public sector information. Sadly the site doesn’t contain anything yet but at least they seem to heading in the right direction.