To begin with, the client didn't even know what mashups were. Wikipedia defines them as "a website or web application that seamlessly combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience." This differs from simply having links on a webpage; in a mashup the information from those linked pages appears right on your webpage.
I also explained that you don't just go out and build a mashup. You need to have a reason to do so. You need to solve a problem with the mashup.
For example:
- Where can I find a golf course in the city I'm visiting - BunkerShot.com
- Make Sudoko visual by selecting 9 random images from Flickr instead of numbers.
- Where are the best ski conditions in the world, right now?
After defining the question or problem you want to solve, you need to identify the sources that the information will come from. Do you need a map? Do you need Real Estate data? Stock quotes? Do you need to put together a database of information?
Let's look at SkiBonk.com.
Needless to say, my client went back to the drawing board to identify a problem or question he could address with a mashup - since he was still interested in incorporating mashups in his website.
By the way - ProgrammableWeb is a fab place to find mashups.
