Problem 2 is that OPML comfortably supports only plain text - particulary because it stores content in attributes. The attention to OPML directories distracts from OPML as a content structure. But, from the XML alone it's difficult, given an OPML file, to figure out what type of data it actually describes: directory or a structured article. A directory is just a series of nested lists, an article outline is far meatier in content and words. The same data format being used for two different types of data - visually and conceptually different. We're now seeing OPML's usefulness again in defining directories - something that was tried a while ago with a community based Yahoo-like directory. Outlining is a great way of structuring content - it's a natural approach to writing and editing. ![]() I think OPML suffers because of the many different uses it has. Using an outline encourages structure - my blog posting style of longer one-per-page blog posts is complemented by the OPML editor. In my experience, using it as a multi-post blog tool is like using a screw-driver as a hammer. I like it as an organiser of my notes and thoughts, and these tend to end up as a structured post. I've been experimenting with the OPML editor since the first version was publicly available. I've been tinkering with OPML as a means of building a directory, but keep running into some fundamental problems. In fact my first half-decent Atom Publishing Format prototype - isoTope - accepted OPML as Atom content and rendered it as XHTML. I've been interested in and worked with OPML for quite some time. Where ipodder creates a directory page from an OPML script, the TechCrunch initiative whittles it off to a sidebar. Adam Curry gave OPML directories a massive boost of support - it's the cornerstone of the ipodder directory (now known as the indie podder directory). ![]() Perhaps this particular occurrence will last longer than the super open directory phase, and "The World Outline" that preceded it. ![]() Rogers Cadenhead sparks off an interesting conversation about OPML in his piece " OPML: Even worse than it appears". OPML - the XML format with no friends Saturday, October 01, 2005
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