[uf-discuss] Currency microformat

[Ben Buchanan]

>>> Then Consider providing multiple translations of one price in
>>> different amounts...
> >How does considering this help us define the currency of the prices
> >presented?  It looks like we just strayed from marking up currency to
> >marking up exchange rates.

You're right, it doesn't help. Defining the currency helps us define
when several numbers on a page are actually the same *value* presented
in different currencies. So, other way around. Once we've solved the
simple problem we can solve the more complex problems which required
the simple solution.

> Working out values in secondary currencies is a (real-time or daily) job
> for server-side scripting or user agents, surely?

Calculating the values should be scripting or server-side, sure.
Presenting the results of those calculations back to the UA is a
markup issue, hence the suggestion of a microformat to let an author
specify exactly what each number means.

The exchange rate used could be another (optional) field, paired with
a timestamp of that rate and a probably somehow linked with a URL
where the rate was sourced.

To be fair, yes the issue of exchange rates and multiple versions of
one price would be beyond "the simple problem". That said, there's no
reason a microformat couldn't be expanded to allow rich meaning based
on solving that original problem.

Ben

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