Leveraging infrastructure

At last week's (wonderfully mild-weathered) XML Summer School, Jeff Barr gave a great talk on Amazon's Web Services offerings. (Jeff is an 'evangelist', unlike most TV evangelists I'm familiar with Jeff did not call me a sinner and is not, AFAIK, under federal investigation for tax fraud).

Amazon Web Services provides developers with direct access to Amazon's robust technology platform. Build on Amazon's suite of web services to enable and enhance your applications.

Additionally, artfully placed in the room were pen's advertising BT's Web21C program (I'd suspect Paul Downey of dropping the pens except that the services are SOAP-based).

The Web21C SDK is a set of libraries that makes it simple for developers to consume Web Services exposed by BT

Hmmm, I see a trend here. Whatever you aren't fully using, rent out.

I have loads of lawn & garden equipment that I use only occasionally. What if I were to make this surplus infrastructure available to friends & neighbours through web service APIs?

<BorrowFertilizerSpreader>
   <PlanOnReturning>unlikely</PlanOnReturning>
</BorrowFertilizerSpreader>

Of course, once all the equipment had been lent out, then I could just sit back with a beer and rest.

Yeah, I'd love to cut the lawn Honey but, hey, the APIs ...