We’ve been releasing new waves of services integration since our public softlaunch in April, and we thought it’d be time to elaborate on how we approach the integration of services to add to your cards. To start, let me explain the three levels of integration E supports:

Level 1 – OAuth Integration

We are solid advocates of the OAuth platform, and apply this protocol throughout the whole web service. This standard allows users to integrate their service accounts with E without storing usernames or passwords. By granting E access within a service (if the user is logged in), no longer will they need to provide us with sensitive information. Integration through OAuth is our preferred method of adding services, since it allows ‘automatic friending’ in most cases.

Level 2 – Encrypted Integration

Many services don’t support OAuth yet, or restrict OAuth access. The second tier of integration stores the user’s username and password of the service in the E database. We encrypt this data and don’t perform any actions without the user’s direct consent. Although this method allows for ‘automatic friending’ to take place, we highly suggest integration through OAuth instead.

Level 3 – Linked Integration

Some services don’t support ‘automatic friending’. Not through OAuth, not through encrypted integration. The third tier of integration allows users to supply E with their public profile on a selected service. This way, the service does get listed, but no direct connection is established. Integration usually takes place by letting the user specify their username or public profile URL of a designated service.

If you have a service you want to have integrated with E, or have suggestions about what services to add in the next wave of service updates: please leave us suggestions at our Get Satisfaction or email directly to services [at] mynameise [dot] com