Encapsulation of online storage providers

A method for publishing media objects to a provider, comprising:

• generating a plug-in for each of a plurality of providers, each provider hosting a web space including a media object, each provider implementing a plurality of services related to the media object, wherein executing the plug-in causes at least one of the plurality of services related to the media object to be performed on at least one of plurality of providers;
• receiving a request from a client, said request including a function related to a media object, said request including a moniker of the media object, said moniker generated from a media object identifier and a provider identifier, said moniker being provided a first provider, said first provider hosting the media object associated with the media identifier, said provider identifier associated with the at least one of the providers;
• determining the provider identifier from the moniker included in the request;
• selecting a plug-in to execute from the generated plug-ins based on the included function and the provider identifier;
• executing the selected plug-in, wherein executing the selected plug-in causes a service related to the media object to be performed on the provider, said service related to the requested function;
• receiving a status from the provider, said status indicating the success of the performed service;
• and
• sending the status from the provider to the client, said status indicating the success of the request.

A application program interface (API) for publishing media objects to a provider, comprising computer readable instructions for:

• generating a plug-in for each of a plurality of providers, each provider hosting a web space including a media object, each provider implementing a plurality of services related to the media object, wherein executing the plug-in causes at least one of the plurality of services related to the media object to be performed on at least one of plurality of providers;
• receiving a first request from a client, said first request including the uploading of a media object;
• selecting a plug-in to execute from the generated plug-ins to upload the media object;
• executing the selected plug-in, wherein executing the selected plug-in causes the provider to upload the media object from the client;
• receiving a moniker for the uploaded media object from the provider in response to the execution of the plug-in, said moniker being generated by the provider in response to the uploading of the media object, said moniker including the uploaded media object identifier and a provider identifier, said provider identifier associated with the at least one of the providers which uploaded the media object;
• and
• sending the moniker to the client wherein the client references the uploaded media object via the moniker
• receiving a status from the provider, said status indicating the success of the performed service;
• and
• sending the status from the provider to the client, said status indicating the success of the first request.
• receiving a second request including a function related to the media object and the moniker of the media object;
• determining the provider identifier from the moniker included in the second request;
• selecting a plug-in to execute from the generated plug-ins based on the included function and the provider identifier;
• executing the selected plug-in, wherein executing the selected plug-in causes a service related to the media object to be performed on the provider, said service related to the requested function and the determined media object identifier;
• receiving a status from the provider, said status indicating the success of the performed service;
• and
• sending the status from the provider to the client, said status indicating the success of the second request.