How do I configure access to BING's API ?

What it is:
During installation or perhaps later by logging in as a user with admin rights and selecting "Configuration..." on the "Welcome" page, integration to Microsoft's search engine, Bing, can be set up.
The folks behind Bing (aka. a corporation named Microsoft) have been so kind to enable access to Bing using an API.
A really great one, I might add.

The integration between AmpJuke and Bing is done using Bing's fairly new release of the API, - version 2.0.

By selling your soul to Microsoft entering a Bing AppId, you'll be able to fetch images of albums and performers, which later can be displayed in AmpJuke.
The Bing AppId is used in relation to the "Scan metadata" functionality as well as a supplement to the existing last.fm API-functionality, by helping out during replacement of existing album covers and performer images.


How it's configured:
Configuration of API-access to Bing is very basic and only consists of two settings:
Bing AppId: Is the AppId you get, when you sign up for one. You can sign up here: http://www.bing.com/developers/createapp.aspx
Note that you'll need a Microsoft Live account as well (ie. "somename@live.com" or "othername@hotmail.com").

Default preferred size: As the name suggests, it's a default, preferred size (width,height) of images to look for when using the Bing API.
It is used as the default value in "Scan metadata".


A personal note:
I've been experimenting for some time with the API's from the "big 3": Google, Microsoft and Yahoo.
Both in terms of quick, easy access as well as quality of results returned.
It currently seems clear to me that Microsoft has made a really good solution by offering an API to the Bing search engine.

13-08-2010