Every once and a while I'll run across something that gives me confidence that people "get it." In the 90's the Internet was just starting to catch on and I had one of those moments. Then I was wondering how big this whole Internet thing could get and I saw a billboard that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority had put up. They were advertising the fact that their new web site www.mbta.com was launched. At that moment it clicked with me that the Internet was going to change the way we lived. That was a long time ago but today I ran across something, which although was not as profound as that, makes me think we are moving in the right direction again.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has released an extensive Web API. On their webtools site they have an extensive list of services available for developers. The list includes:

• Address Information APIs


• Delivery Information APIs


• Rate Calculators APIs


• Shipping Labels APIs


• Carrier Pickup APIs

This looks very interesting to me. I know that there are services out there that already offer some of these types of services. However, the fact the USPS is offering this now somehow makes me think the cat is completely out of the bag with Web 2.0. I mean if a big lumbering institution like the USPS "gets it" than everyone else should as well... I would hope so at least. This once again gives me confidence that those of us working in the IT industry will have lots of opportunities in the next few years.