Re: [syndication] Re: Thoughts, questions, and issues.

[Gary Teter <bigdog@bulldogbeach.com>]

on 8/21/00 10:34 AM, zac at zac@pixelgeek.com wrote:
on 8/21/00 10:34 AM, zac at zac@pixelgeek.com wrote:

> Jonathan Eisenzopf wrote:
> 
>> Ok, in comparison to RSS 0.9 and 0.91, specifically what is it
>> about the RSS 1.0 proposal that makes things complicated?
> 
> The required use of namespaces.

Actually, I don't mind the namespaces. The big thing that I think is
"unnecessarily" complicated is the RDF stuff -- inchannel and rdf:about.
Compared to 0.91, they're redundant, and it's hard to see why I need to
include them when I'm wearing my "writer" hat.

As a geek, I love the spec, even the RDF stuff -- it makes good sense, it's
straightforward, it's extensible in logical ways, etc. It tickles my "one
true way" bone, even when I know in the real world there isn't and never
will be one true way.

As a programmer, the addition of the RDF stuff gets on my nerves. Namespaces
are OK, I can go merrily along and ignore tags I don't understand. And I'm
already dealing with non-standard tags when I grab stuff from Moreover and
iSyndicate.

But inchannel and rdf:about? Why do I want those? What's wrong with using
XML's built-in ability to express that an item belongs to a particular
channel? e.g., <channel><item/><channel> My XML code understands that
construct no problemo.

In this instance, I'm not interested in creating an application which can
take advantage of the full expressiveness of RDF. What do I care that a file
format can describe everything in the world? What I do care about is keeping
my resource database up-to-date with the latest headlines. Why should I have
to deal with RDF when it's clearly not necessary for simple syndication?

I would prefer to see the RDF stuff taken out of the RSS 1.0 proposal, and
put into its own proposal, with a name that doesn't imply any sort of
connection with RSS. Call it sRDF ("syndicated RDF") or something like that.
(And merge it with ICE, too, while we're at it... :-)

-- 
Gary Teter, Big Dog
Bulldog Beach Interactive http://www.bulldogbeach.com
WireHose: The WebObjects portal framework http://www.wirehose.com