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SiteAndSyndication


Site and Syndication

[InvisibleHand, RefactorOk] Here's my understanding: The internal model is something like the MetaWeblog API. The external model is something like RSS. The WellFormedEntry should be usable for replacing both.

Internal or external model

An internal model is used by the source or provider of an entry and contains the entire breadth and depth of the entry.

An external model is used to convey information about an entry, possibly up to including the entire breadth and depth of an entry. For sets of entries, an external model may represent sets of entries differently depending on the purpose of the set.

This distinction helps to answer questions like "is the content in the entry or available at the permalink", "does the permalink point to a rendered presentation of the entry (HTML, image, etc.) or does the permalink point to the entry data" (see content and PermaLinks), and "should contact information for the publisher be included".

The answer could be "both, depending", then "depending" can be further clarified.

Internal models are most often used in content-management APIs (RestLog, CommentApi, BloggerApi, MetaWeblog), external models are most often used in meta-data and syndication APIs (TrackBack, RSS, aggregators, portals).

Discussion

In a syndication model, "weblog" or "home" must be a required attribute of an WellFormedEntry (or a group/container of WellFormedEntrys?). As it stands the only reference to the entry's weblog is embedded in the permalink. Say the permalink is www.blogservice.com/blogs/waynesworld/blog/2002/12/13/wow . I can guess how to get the blog's title or to discover its RSS, but a program can't. If an entry is to exist independently shouldn't it know its weblog?

This information may be required as part of Authors.

[TimothyAppnel] This comment suggest that this discussion shift to syndication feed and beyond just an entry. Is that the direction we are moving to now?
[KenMacLeod, RefactorOk] I don't think that's a sole direction, but rather a multiple use of an WellFormedEntry model. Maybe a [WikiPedia]Syndication extension that has required WellFormedEntry attributes when made available externally?
[TimothyAppnel] This sounds like a reasonable avenue to explore.

(Comments regarding EntryChannels moved to Containers. Also see GeneralizingEntry)


(moved from Primer 14:53Z)

DaveP From ConceptualModel, An entry is a metadata record of a published item ... which I agree with. My idea (right or wrong) is that the author creats a web page as a full piece, including all the detail he wants to put in. Then, as an extract or manually generated, he does a headline version, effectively advertising the fact that he has this piece on the web for others to read. RSS is a means... and a syntax, which enables the author to do this. It's not meant to be the full thing? E.g. I read the metadata record and decide I'm interested, so I follow the hyperlink to the authors page and read all about it. Since I'm monitoring them, I also harvest, in my case once daily, other summaries, skim them and either follow the links or read on. Rich Site Summary? seems to do it for me.

The above is my logic for saying that the content shouldn't have the ability to write the whole piece out, with all the complexity of XHTML. Keep it straightforward, and a summary. Write just enough to tempt me to visit your own website.


Question: Is SiteAndSyndication a proposed module, which turns an Entry into a container of Entries?


[DeveloperDude] I will attempt to write an on-going RSS to PIE converter. So that you can monitor progress. Obviously, at first, I'll be filling in a lot of blanks. You can find my converters and other tools on the Tools page.


CategoryModel, CategoryRss