What is REST?
REST is an architectural style, or set of conventions, for web applications and services that centers itself around resource manipulation and the HTTP spec. Web apps have traditionally ignored the HTTP spec and moved forward using a subset of the protocol: GET and POST, 200 OKs and 404 NOT FOUNDs. As we entered a programmable web of applications with APIs the decision to ignore HTTP gave us problems we’re still dealing with today. We have an internet full of applications with different interfaces (GET /user/1/delete vs. POST /user/delete {id=1}). With REST we can say /user/1 is a resource and use the HTTP DELETE verb to delete it. For more detail on REST check out wikipedia and “quick pitch“.

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OpenSocial, OpenID, and OAuth: Oh, My!
Joseph Smarr (Plaxo)

A number of emerging technologies will soon collectively enable an open social web in which users control their information and it can flow between multiple sites and services. OpenID, OAuth, microformats, OpenSocial, the Social Graph API, friends-list portability, and more will be discussed, as well as a coherent vision for how the pieces fit together and how developers can start taking advantage of them now.
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