[uf-discuss] Getting started with microformats

[Frances Berriman]

Chris Messina wrote:
> So I had the question posed to me yet again:
>
> "Ok, we know we should do microformats... but we're not sure where to
> start. Can you help us out?"
>
> Seeing as how I'm probably not alone here, I was going to create a
> "Getting started with microformats" page when I discovered a bunch of
> confused pages that seem to be half-hearted attempts to solve this
> problem:
>
> * http://microformats.org/wiki/introduction
> * http://microformats.org/wiki/what-can-you-do-with-microformats
> * http://microformats.org/wiki/implement
> * http://microformats.org/wiki/getting-started
>
> They all seem to start with definitions and then run out of steam.
>
> I would like to propose (and yes, this means work at some point, but
> for now I'm raising the issue) that we create a well-written and
> straight forward page that does answer the question: "I'm ready to get
> started, so where do I begin?"
>
> We could offer either a case study ("XCorp started by locating all
> references to people and locations on their website. They then marked
> up their pages using hcard. Specifically, this is the code they
> changed..."). or we could offer general step-by-step instructions for
> people who have flat HTML or database powered content... or, as I
> mentioned before, for people using various tools, we could suggest
> that they switch libraries or themes, for example, using the Sandbox
> theme in WordPress.
>
> In any case, I need a page to point to that will answer this question
> for me... and so rather than dive right in, I thought I'd solicit
> recommendations for other folks -- this page should be in the form of
> an FAQ, but in the form of actionable information -- hell, make a
> screencast -- but whatever it turns out to be, it should answer that
> question succinctly and clearly: *once you've convinced someone they
> should use microformats, what is the next most simple and satisfying
> step that they can take to implement microformats?*
>
> Chris
>
I really like the idea of using a case study.  As I and others have 
found, it's really easy to get into MFs when you actually see a working 
example and have the opportunity to implement them into something you 
already use.  It might be valuable to think of a study that is relevant 
to the kind of people that are asking you that question.  Are they 
business people, bloggers, designers?

Frances