[uf-discuss] hCard and vCard

[Ryan Cannon]

On Aug 3, 2006, at 11:24 PM, joe at andrieu.net wrote:
> It looks like the powers-that-be have already come to a conclusion on
> extending hCard.

One thing I've always thought interesting: vCard has a built in  
extension mechansim,
the X- properties. If hCard is to be a 1:1 representation of vCard,  
should we have
mechanism whereby hcard extensions would be vcard extensions as well?

My first thought on this would be that any unknown property could be  
appended as a
vCard extension, using the standard methods of determining element  
content, thus:

<div class="vcard">
   <span class="fn">Ryan Cannon</span>
   <a class="aim url" href="aim:goim?screenname=AOLUser">AOLUser</a>
</div>

Would create:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Cannon;Ryan;;;
FN:Ryan Cannon
URL;type=internet:aim:goim?screenname=AOLUser
X-AIM:AOLUser
END:VCARD

I'm not sure what the implications would be of having an absurd  
number of other properties
included within an hCard, but something like this would do two things:

  1. It would allow us to extend hCard without breaking compatibility  
with vCard
  2. It would authors to create compatibility with more specific  
applications (e.g.
     Apple's Address book in this case).

Good idea? Bad?


-- 
Ryan Cannon

Interactive Developer
MSI Student, School of Information
University of Michigan
http://RyanCannon.com