[uf-new] workofart (was: Introduction to Microformats)

[Ottevanger, Jeremy]

Hi Walter,

Last spring I asked the same Q about workofart. There was limited
interest in it, it seemed, although I did get some encouraging (partly
off-list) feedback and suggestions. I went off and had a rethink. In the
last few days there have been some posts around the idea of a Dublin
Core microformat, which idea has been pretty much dismissed or ignored,
I think (as it was last year, when again it was mooted for describing
works of art) but which has got me interested again.

My feeling now, as I wrote on Monday, is that something broader than
simply works of art is useful (hence the case for a uF based on DC), but
it looks like the leading lights of this community generally favour
something extremely specific. Maybe, then, workofart could be revived.
I'm still bemused, though, that the broadly applicable seems to be
rejected in favour of the narrow. As I understand it, new microformats
should where possible build upon existing uFs, but if these start off
very narrow rather than generic then it makes it that much more awkward
to do this - which it strikes me is the root of most of the problems in
the hAudio debate. Had there been more broadly-aimed uFs to build it
upon then rows over the meaning of "title" or "contributor" might never
have arisen. 

Cheers, Jeremy



Jeremy Ottevanger
Web Developer, Museum Systems Team
Museum of London Group
46 Eagle Wharf Road
London. N1 7ED
Tel: 020 7410 2207
Fax: 020 7600 1058
Email: jottevanger at museumoflondon.org.uk
www.museumoflondon.org.uk
Museum of London is changing; our lower galleries will be closed while they undergo a major new development. Visit www.museumoflondon.org.uk to find out more.
London's Burning - explore how the Great Fire of London shaped the city we see today www.museumoflondon.org.uk/londonsburning


-----Original Message-----
From: microformats-new-bounces at microformats.org
[mailto:microformats-new-bounces at microformats.org] On Behalf Of Manu
Sporny
Sent: 05 February 2008 18:16
To: For discussion of new microformats.
Subject: Re: [uf-new] Introduction to Microformats

Walter Logeman wrote:
> Is the workofart one of the ones under development?

It currently has nobody pushing the format forward.

> It looks a bit lost:
> http://www.microformats.org/wiki/workofart-formats
> Could that be revived here on this list?

It could be revived - but be ready to do a ton of work if you pick it
up. It took around 500+ hours of work by the editor and around 250+
hours (estimated) of work by list participants to get hAudio to where it
is today.

Pushing a Microformat forward is not for the faint of heart... but if
you're okay with doing that sort of work for the public good, by all
means, push hArt forward.

>> That being said - if you could stomach the discussion about 
>> namespaces, you should do fine on this list :)
> 
> I am a programming virgin but a Philosophy graduate so this sort of 
> thing is quite fun, but I can see it could go off-topic.

Good :) - there is quite a bit of borrowed philosophy from a variety of
disciplines wrapped up in Microformats. It's interesting to see the
intersection of the philosophies of linguistics, computer science,
working for the public domain, and what people find easy and intuitive
implement.

> I am going to POSHify my site, I'll learn by doing, and return here
later.

That's the best place to start... :)

-- manu

_______________________________________________
microformats-new mailing list
microformats-new at microformats.org
http://microformats.org/mailman/listinfo/microformats-new