Access to "API"s (was 5250-to-HTML Servelet?)

["Jon Paris" <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 >> First, since when can't IBM keep an API secret?

IBM will consider revealing details of anything that they consider an API on
request.  You normally make the approach via your Partnerworld
representative.  The request is then reviewed and, depending on a variety of
factors like the likelihood of the API to change, the details can be
provided under NDA terms.  Typically this will happen when the API is
reasonably "firm", the proposed product is not directly competitive (since
WF is "free" competition is not really an issue), and there is no easy
alternative method to achieve the goal.  You example or CA is a case where
there is an alternative since Ops Nav provides many APIs.  I suspect that
they would consider that you would only need more in-depth knowledge in
order to compete with CA.  Even so, somebody may have the details - I don't
know.

 >> Next, if there are such APIs, then Seagull must be TICKED OFF.

I'm pretty certain that Seagull are one of the vendors that have the API.  I
do not know if they chose to use it or not - but even if they did, it is
highly likely that XCaliber was in development fro a long time before they
had the API.

 >> Third, even if they do have access to the APIs, it's still a HUGE amount
of work to write the runtime portion.

Which probably is the answer to your own question as to why they are not
(apparently) using them.  They have invested huge amounts of money in
understanding the data stream and maybe aren't in a hurry to throw it away
since it does allow a certain degree of dynamic response to changes in the
display file.

 >> Finally, if such an API exists, please let me know who I need to talk to

As I said earlier, you need to make API requests through your Partnerworld
rep.  I honestly don't know if there is any requirement for a certain level
of PW membership before you get this kind of stuff, but that is the way it
is done.  You inform them of the "API" you are interested in and it goes
from there.

Jon Paris
Partner400