Re: [xmlvoc] Applicaiton Programming Interface - API : Proposed definition

[Patrick Durusau <pdurusau@emory.edu>]

Eric,

I have pasted your definition below.

Erik Wilde wrote:

> hello patrick.
>
> about the api:
>
>> Disapprove: (please include reasons)
>
>
> i would remove the part "is defined at the source code level". dom is 
> defined using a special interface definition language (which is not 
> source code in my opinion), even though there are mappings to 
> programming languages. but the dom api as such is defined in idl.

So with your modification we would read:

The interface (calling conventions) by which an application program 
accesses operating system and other services.  An API provides a level 
of abstraction between the application and the kernel (or other 
privileged utilities) to ensure the portability of the code.

Erik's definition reads:

An API is an Interface which is used for accessing an application or a 
service from a program. An API makes it possible to use programs from 
within programs, therefore it is the foundation for modular systems with 
clearly defined Interfaces between separate components. In a way, an API 
can be regarded as the local equivalent of a Protocol, because it is 
used for the same purposes and defines the same things (the possible 
interactions between components, and the data that is exchanged while 
interacting). However, traditionally APIs are used for Interfaces on one 
computer, while Protocols are used for distributed scenarios.

Comments?

Patrick

-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
Patrick.Durusau@sbl-site.org
Co-Editor, ISO 13250, Topic Maps -- Reference Model