Hey all -- Im sure you got WMATAs notice about their coming API upgrade. Im really glad theyre showing continued commitment to the API, but Im concerned about their apparently backwards-incompatible changes and what it will do to our users who wont or cant upgrade to new app versions. Heres what I sent them, please join me in sending something similar if you agree to api-support@wmata Hi folks, Thanks for this notification. Im glad that the WMATA API is receiving an upgrade! However, Id strongly encourage you not to roll out this API without it being fully backwards compatible with existing apps. As Im sure you are aware, when app updates are published on app stores, not every user upgrades. Some dont because they dont want to, but some cant because their operating system is not compatible with new versions. This is the case especially on Android, with a much more fragmented operating system landscape and a much wider variety of devices, but its true on iOS as well to a surprising degree. Given that you are keeping the same URL, it should be trivial for you to keep the same url argument structure, preserving api_key as an argument that can be used. If you must transition to subscription_key, then please leave api_key running on a current version of the code as a legacy system, as many API providers do. This legacy version would likely not receive any bug fixes or updates or provision new developer keys, but would continue to function as-is in perpetuity, so existing app functionality doesnt have to change. Those who upgrade would get the benefits of your new system, but you wouldnt be leaving those who dont out in the cold. I hope you will consider this path, as opposed to leaving many users without working apps in December. Thank you! --Jason Rosenbaum, BusTrackDC developer
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 16:34:22 +0000
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