You Educated?

You Tube Open Source Format a Boon for Free Exchange

The need for open source exchange software and formats is a great idea for teachers and librarians here is an example that is leading the way:

You Tube has opened up its application programming interfaces (APIs) to the world. This will let developers build what amounts to their own mini-YouTubes on their Web sites, blogs or Wikis.

"We now support upload, other write operations and internationalized standard feeds," wrote Stephanie Liu of the YouTube APIs and Tools Team on the YouTube blog.

Users will also get APIs for the video player and what's called a "chromeless player" -- a bare-bones player using Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) Shockwave Flash that can be customized and controlled with the player APIs to provide the look and feel the user wants.

Users get two types of authentication to control who logs into YouTube accounts on their Web sites, blogs or Wikis. One is AuthSub, for Web applications, where the Web application can acquire a secure token, and the other is ClientLogin, for installed applications.

The authentication capabilities let Website owners retain their users: "Your users can upload to YouTube, comment on videos, manipulate playlists and more all without leaving your site or app," Liu said.

So universities and schools can set up entire web universities that keep its users on sight and they will not be steered away to ads or bothered by unrelated content. Entire course loads of professors and there lectures can be posted.

Users can tag and comment, create favorite play lists and do everything else they can on You Tube on any site now.

Pretty cool, huh?

Any thoughts?

Here is the link to the story:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/YouTube-Gives-Developers-Video-Takeout-Option-62093.html