[microformats-discuss] In need of an explainer: How "soft" is "too soft'?

[Bud Gibson]

On Jul 14, 2005, at 11:35, Dimitri Glazkov wrote:

> The problem of free-wheeling instructions is that
> they aren't any good for those who can only follow cookbooks.
>
> What could be done to make this more approachable by the average Joe
> developer? Is this just basic semantic markup education?
>

My best practical advice is to look at Brian Suda's X2V, available here:

http://suda.co.uk/projects/X2V/

As suggested by this example, right now, you need the following  
knowledge to effectively code with microformats:

1.  Knowledge of XPATH
2.  An understanding of the allowed class attribute values in each  
microformat's XMDP file (linked from the microformat's wiki page).   
In some cases, as in hCalendar, you will need to infer what these are  
from another spec, the iCal spec.
3.  An understanding of any markup elements that are mandated by the  
microformat.  For instance, XOXO requires the use of ordered lists.

Given this state of affairs, I think microformats are now best suited  
to advanced developers who are attempting to do the just barely  
possible, not those who are looking for a development cowpath.

I think the cowpath will come, but we are in more of a Lewis and  
Clark down the Big Muddy stage now.

Bud