Sudbury-based ConceptShare has released an API to sync in with with their system to build, well, new and better things.  While Jevon on StartupNorth thinks that this will herald more enterprise applications, I think the opposite, I think this will bring in more easy to use consumer-centric applications.

Here is a bit from Scott’s post on the API:

The release of the ConceptShare API signals a new era in our company history. We want to enable our clients large and small to leverage our platform to further improve their projects. The API will allow users to customize the ConceptShare experience for their organizations, teams and clients. 

Implementation

An early API implementations include automated workspace generation from a web form. Our client wanted to create an automated way to get their customers to submit projects via the website. We worked with them using the API to build this functionality. The system allowed customers to setup new project spaces from a public web form on the corporate website. Customers submit a project brief via web-form and upload associated project files. The system automatically creates a new workspace for the customer project. Information from the project brief is presented as the first concept and associated files are saved into the workspace. The system will then bring the proper people into the project space and notify them. 

This system reduced: time spent getting projects setup, missed opportunities and communication problems throughout the project. This resulted in increased project capacity, happier customers, reduced time between design iterations, and over all better project flow. Source: ConceptShare API - Ready to Roll. | Thought Balloons

Maybe because I deal with a lot of little projects I see things like integrating with IM (Skype would be killer, but Gtalk would be more likely I think).  I also think it’s important to have lots of touch points, work with how people work, not against them.

Hmm, now here is an interesting idea.  Using Twitter with TwitPic to interact with spaces.  All through direct messages.  Or maybe Pownce with a private group…now there are some ideas.

Who’s up for building them?

I met Scott of ConceptShare at SXSW (he stayed at the b5 Ranch) great guy, sharp, and has some great ideas.  One that he wrote about today is the need for a Canadian tech group, something where we can all connect and exchange information on a regular basis:

This is certainly a 50000 ft view of what I think. Is it the answer? Who knows. All I hope is that someone out there will agree with me and tell someone else and it will spread.  I have a few people in mind that I think could certainly help. Need some feedback from across the country.  Am I out to lunch or is this a viable thing? It will require you to your civic egos aside and think from a nation wide perspective. Source: A national community for tech? | Thought Balloons

I certainly agree that it’s needed.  I also see it as a huge challenge.  Huge country, lots of busy people.  Sure I could set up a wiki or forum or social network on Ning or something … the problem is that how do we keep it going?

I don’t even want to get into the details of management …

However that’s throwing too much realism into this discussion.  Scott is bang on.

I try to cover as much Canadian tech as I can, I know I miss a lot of stuff though.  The other Canadian techblogs like Techvibes, Montreal Tech Watch, StartupNorth do an awesome job at connecting us all.  Now, how to to pull it all together…

Ideas?

Well I have two.  First, I just (like while I was writing this post) created a Google group called (of course) Canadian Tech … email is the first step so please join and tell others.  Second, shared bookmarks, I already have that on Diigo … so you can join that too.

Small steps, but maybe the important ones to take Scott’s idea and turn it into something.

Checking out the list of the Webware 100 Finalist list I noticed several familiar names…

ConceptShare
Productivity

CoverItLive
Publishing & Photography

Dabble DB
Productivity

Flickr
Publishing & Photography

Flock
Browsing

Mobivox
Communication

StumbleUpon
Social

WordPress
Publishing & Photography

Source: All the Webware 100 finalists in one place | Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone

Okay I know that Flickr, Flock, StumbleUpon, and WordPress aren’t Canadian per se, but Flickr and SU were born here and both Flock and WordPress have folks up here.

Still this list is very impressive.  CoverItLive is one of my new fav online apps.  If I have a solid net connection at a conference, be sure I’ll be using it to cover the sessions.

There are also several companies on the list who aren’t Canadian, but are ones I really like:

BlogTalkRadio
Audio

Carbonite
Utility & Security

Delicious
Social

Feedburner
Publishing & Photography

FeedHub
Browsing

Firefox
Browsing

Gmail
Communication

OpenDNS
Utility & Security

Picnik
Publishing & Photography

Scrabulous
Social

Skype
Communication

Techmeme
Browsing

Technorati
Search & Reference

ThinkFree Online
Productivity

Twitter
Publishing & Photography

Congratulations to all the finalists … this is a great time to try a new app or three.  Sure some of the folks (IE, Yahoo, and all the Live services) are nothing terribly new or innovative, but they do influence the Internet and how we use it.

Update: Thanks to Greg at TechVibes for pointing out that I missed Toronto-based Octopz in my list of Canadian companies.  Cool, another company to check out!