[microformats-discuss] Re: playlist microformat

[Lucas Gonze]

On 9/9/05, Chris Messina <chris.messina at gmail.com> wrote:
> I wanted to chime in briefly at the meta level (ayuck) to try to help
> the hPlaylist discussion evolve productively, in a way that's most
> supportive of the microformat mission.

Thanks!  But also, don't forget the playlist mission.

> * My second point is that microformats are supposed to be used like
> building blocks (that's what the logo was designed to look like, FYI).
> So in this case, there seems to be little value in reinventing XOXO
> just to make a flat outline for media.

I can't really picture what a XOXO implementation would look like. 
Any chance you could provide sample markup of XSPF semantics using a
XOXO wrapper?

> * On top of that, we're really discussing two separate tasks here. The
> first is marking up a series of items in a specific order -- i.e., a
> "playlist." The second aspect is marking up media items like movies,
> mp3s, images and so on. These are typically binary objects that need
> to be described externally and linked to remotely. Those items need
> not be found in playlists to be useful, so really we're describing two
> separate microformats.

That's an interesting and worthwhile point.  I can picture a separate
hTrack concept, with the caveat that I have to see the details to be
confident that it will work.

> * And, as David has pointed out, the playlist spec should be
> universally useful and not simply apply to mp3esque media files.
> Although the work so far suggests that hPlaylist apply specifically to
> mp3-style lists where ID3 + m3u might have sufficed before, we're
> seeing combination playlists now that represent songs, music videos
> and digital booklets
> (http://www.flickr.com/photos/factoryjoe/41771361/). The hPlaylist
> work should accommodate this -- as well as, for example, the work
> being done on H20 playlists (h2obeta.law.harvard.edu).

I differ on this.  If it's not timed media, it's a distraction that we
can't afford.

- Lucas

(I'll be away from my office for the next couple weeks, so will be
extra slow to respond).