LinkedIn's well-groomed app platform goes live

There's nary a sheep to be tossed on business network LinkedIn's new developer platform, which has officially gone live.

The array of internal- and partner-created applications includes a "reading list" app from Amazon, a trip-tracking app from TripIt, file sharing from Box.net, and presentation apps from SlideShare and Google Presentation.

"One of the big differences between LinkedIn and some of the other platforms is that we're being very selective about the apps that are integrated onto our platform," LinkedIn vice president of platform Jamie Templeton told CNET News. Developers and companies must go through an assessment process before their apps are approved. For obvious reasons, they have to fit into LinkedIn's buttoned-up mold, which means that a "Drunk Office Christmas Party Photo Slideshow" app probably doesn't have enough of a "professional" spin.

Something else you won't find on LinkedIn's app platform? Those ad networks that are all over the likes of Facebook and MySpace's platforms. For external advertisements, the apps must work with LinkedIn. But they'll also have the option to make money through retail (like Amazon's app) and subscriptions--while apps are free by default, they can have premium subscriptions, as Box.net's and collaborator Huddle.net's applications do.

Right now, LinkedIn members can add a maximum of 15 applications to their profiles, but Templeton said that the addition of "secondary pages" for more apps will come soon.