RE: [syndication] Feed List Format

["Danny Ayers" <danny666@virgilio.it>]

> >I nearly missed this thread, but coincidentally I'd expressed my
> opinion on
> >OPML this very morning in another mail, below. But first -
> >
> >Re. "Since OPML is already supported by every single aggregator on this
> >particular planet..." - not for the purpose being specified.
> The amount of
> >work needed to tool up for the new job would be the same if you
> use OPML or
> >a completely new XML syntax.
> >
> >
> Huh? OPML is used for *exactly* the purpose specified. Passing lists of
> feed urls around.

Not in the form described, otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion.

> And supporting a new format would definitely require more work than
> hooking into an already supported format. If I have a function call that
> already parses OPML, I don't need to do anything else.
>
> >Plain text is definitely supported by every single aggregator, btw - if
> >we're just talking about a list of URIs, why not use that? What is gained
> >from using OPML? (see rant below)
> >
> >
> Sure, and all aggregators understand TCP/IP at some level. We could
> always encode the data in unused IP header fields. ;-)

That doesn't answer the question. It wouldn't be any harder to write a text
file parser that read URIs line by line than it would to use an existing
OPML reader. Your aggregator may have support for OPML, but this doesn't
help new developers.

> The more work that is required to implement the functionality (both on
> the consumer and producer sides), the fewer sites and clients will
> support it.

Exactly. Using OPML creates more work, having to support an ill-defined
spec. If OPML actually brought any benefits with it, that would be another
matter. But instead it *lacks* one of the primary reasons for using XML in
the first place - validation.

It may be cheaper in the short term to buy the coprocessor-disabled 486, but
when the price difference is negligible, and you're going to stuck with it
in a future where demands may change, you may as well get the full power.
It's easier.

Cheers,
Danny.