Developers: Google's OpenSocial Needs Tuning

Shindig

Also in the works is Shindig, an open-source reference implementation of OpenSocial overseen by The Apache Software Foundation, whose purpose is to let Web site operators implement an OpenSocial container in a matter of hours.

Meanwhile, Google's social-networking site Orkut will soon make available OpenSocial applications to its end-users, as will some of the other participating sites."That's what we're looking forward to: opening the doors and watching the party get started," Glazer said.

AOL's Userplane, a maker of Web-based communication applications, has been involved in the OpenSocial effort and is eager to see it continue to evolve, said Userplane CEO Michael Jones. "As application developers, we're excited about reducing the code we have to write, so I love the concept behind OpenSocial," Jones said.

"Although it has some uncertainties, I feel we're seeing an initiative that can have a great role in the future," Santos said.