[uf-discuss] PROPOSAL: keep it simple; make it extensible?

[Chris Messina]

The fact that this effort seems vague and non-specific to begin with
seems to preclude it from ever gaining adoption; additionally, finding
existing behavior would be a challenge, not to mention the limited
semantic usefulness of knowing that something is a "thing" or "item".

What *specific* problem, captured in the wild, is this work looking to solve?

Chris

On 11/18/06, Andy Mabbett <andy at pigsonthewing.org.uk> wrote:
>
> Rather than trying to devise a microformat (hThing or hItem) that can
> describe any thing (or at least any physical thing), with all the
> possible or probable properties that might entail: would it perhaps be
> better to define a re-usable wrapper, and say that any microformat(s) or
> properties inside that wrapper apply to that thing?
>
> Say:
>
>         <span class="hitem">
>                 [hReview]
>                 [other uFs]
>         </span>
>
> Then apply secondary classes to the hItem as microformats are developed
> in future, say:
>
>         <span class="hitem wine">
>                 [hReview]
>                 [other uFs]
>         </span>
>
>
> We could then use:
>
>         <span class="hitem">
>
>                 <span class="[property-name]">
>                         <span class="value">[n]</span>
>                 </span>
>
>         </span>
>
> or
>
>         <span class="hitem">
>                 <span class="property">
>                         <span class="type">[property-type]</span>
>                         <span class="value">[n]</span>
>                 </span>
>         </span>
>
> for various properties or property-types ("abv", say) as and when
> they're required:
>
>         <span class="hitem wine">
>
>                 [hReview]
>
>                 <span class="abv">
>                         <span class="value">7.8</span>
>                 </span>
>
>         </span>
>
> or
>
>         <span class="hitem wine">
>
>                 [hReview]
>
>                 <span class="property">
>                         <span class="type">abv</span>
>                         <span class="value">7.8</span>
>                 </span>
>
>         </span>
>
>
> Or, where no "secondary class" exists, parsers would simply infer that
> the properties apply to the item:
>
>         <span class="hitem">
>
>                 [hReview]
>
>                 <span class="property">
>                         <span class="type">abv</span>
>                         <span class="value">7.8</span>
>                 </span>
>
>         </span>
>
> or could extract the nature of the item from a tag:
>
>         <span class="hitem">
>
>                 <a rel="tag" class="hitem-type"
>                 href="http://www.example.com/wine>Wine</a> News
>
>                 [hReview]
>
>                 <span class="property">
>                         <span class="type">abv</span>
>                         <span class="value">7.8</span>
>                 </span>
>
>         </span>
>
> or class:
>
>         <span class="hitem">
>
>                 <span class="hitem-type">Wine</span> News
>
>                 [hReview]
>
>                 <span class="property">
>                         <span class="type">abv</span>
>                         <span class="value">7.8</span>
>                 </span>
>
>         </span>
>
>
> Such properties could then be proposed and agreed more speedily then
> entire uFs.
>
>
> Items could be nested, with any properties in the inner item applying to
> that, and not the outer item(s).
>
>
> Alternative names could be "hThing" or "hObject".
>
>
> This post contains several "blue sky" proposals, which can be considered
> separately, if not as a whole.
>
>
> (Note: "wine" and "abv" are used for illustration only, and not to imply
> any endorsement or otherwise to the current "wine" proposal)
>
> --
> Andy Mabbett
>                 Say "NO!" to compulsory ID Cards:  <http://www.no2id.net/>
>
>                 Free Our Data:  <http://www.freeourdata.org.uk>
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>


-- 
Chris Messina
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  Open Source Ambassador-at-Large
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