This paper proposes a framework for the qualitative comparison of sentiment analysis API resources provided by the following visionary service providers: Amazon, IBM, Google and Microsoft.  (Here, "visionary" is a designation assigned by Gartner, Inc.).  API is a set of functions and procedures used so applications can access the features or data of an operating system, application, or other service. The intent of the investigator is to provide a general-purpose framework for the comparison of similar API resources provided by multiple vendors.

The competing sentiment analysis processes have been applied to a novel body of unstructured data: the responses to the last three questions posed by the institutionally administered student feedback forms for a subset of classes taught by the investigator over the past five years.

This approach allows for discussion of the differences between the service providers, and has the novel side-benefit of illustrating how student sentiment towards a specific course in programming has changed over time.

Instructors of university level courses who seek to introduce API concepts and technologies into their classes, along with decision makers in MIS and related fields, will find this topic to be both practical and thought-provoking.