[uf-discuss] directions Microformat

[Ryan King]

On Mar 29, 2006, at 8:56 AM, Martin Blackwell wrote:

> Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on the discussion started  
> on the Bill Gates "We Need Microformats" blogpost: http:// 
> microformats.org/blog/2006/03/20/bill-gates-at-mix06-we-need- 
> microformats/

The discussion there is certainly interesting and think you probably  
have some good ideas there. However, we need to do some more  
background research (see http://microformats.org/wiki/process).

For example, directions get published on the web all of over the  
place: what kind of structure is used? what are the implicit schemas?  
what are the explicit schemas? what are the common fields?

I'd suggest that anyone interested in a 'directions' microformat  
contribute more examples and analysis to http://microformats.org/wiki/ 
directions-examples. See http://microformats.org/wiki/resume-examples  
for an example of the kind of analysis we need.

When I get a chance, I'll contribute the analogue format I have for  
writing directions (in my hipster PDA, that counts, right? :D).

-ryan

> Regrading the structure of a directions microformat, what are your  
> thoughts on using what basically amounts to a tweaked XOXO with  
> custom classes as described here: http://microformats.org/blog/ 
> 2006/03/20/bill-gates-at-mix06-we-need-microformats/#comment-714
>
> Or a self contained hCalendar as described here: http:// 
> microformats.org/blog/2006/03/20/bill-gates-at-mix06-we-need- 
> microformats/#comment-718
>
> the former suggestion is a lot less code to deal with, both in  
> terms of creation and app parsing.
>
> On the other hand, hCalendar already as pretty much everything  
> you'd want to make a directions microformat. Putting geo into the  
> location section allows for the directions to be displayed on most  
> modern mapping services, dtstart and dtend allow the end user/app  
> to know how long the journey will take, and how long it takes to  
> get from each waypoint to the next.
>
> I think it make sense of course to use class="directions" to define  
> a block of code as being directions.
> I'm proposing rel="map" in links to indicate that a link represents  
> a map- either a static image, or something grabbed from the "Link  
> to this page" function of Google Maps.
> I'm proposing class="via" on location data specified by the end  
> user as points the route must pass through explicitly- should the  
> directions code be passed into multiple mapping services or used to  
> figure out alternate routes etc.
> I'm also proposing class="pickup" inside a class="via" waypoint on  
> an hCard or hListing block of code that'd be used to say pick up  
> person X from point A and object Y from point B etc.
>
> I'm going to stop myself from describing the practical applications  
> of my suggestions till some actually asks.
>
> Don't want to give you too much to read :-P
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--
Ryan King
ryan at technorati.com