Raw

Shelley noticed the terms of service follow an odd definition of open, check this delight:

As part of this continuing innovation, you acknowledge and agree that Google may stop (permanently or temporarily) providing the API (or any features of the API) to you or to users generally at Google.s sole discretion, without prior notice to you.

I'll take the mau-mau, thanks.

I've only skimmed some of the data API documentation so far, and on the plus side from this shallow reading most of it seems good Atom/AtomPub. Most.

However the People Data API is cruel and unusual. It first stretches Atom until it creaks with "each entry in the People or Friends feed is a PersonKind"; then gives a further tug (a person's name is represented using atom:title) then extends it even more (a person's email is gd:email) and finally mops up all the blood, sweat and dribble:

Key value parameters - gd:extendedProperty - " As different social networks and other sources of People data have many different named fields, this provides a way for them to be passed on generally. Agreeing on common naming conventions is to be decided in future."

Got to admire the attempt, but (to mix the metaphorical namespaces) silk purses don't make very good sow's ears.

But whatever, trounce me with Torquemada's terelene tights if this is an overwhelming issue for anyone that wants to get a sane representation of a person ( just dab a little XSLT on it, it'll heal in no time my dear...[PS. Done.]). On the other hand, the terms of service seem social like bubonic fever at the orphanage. Dare might just have a point when he says Google transforms into Microsoft of Old.