[uf-discuss] FYI: Jeff Jarvis on microformats and Google Base

[Scott Reynen]

Jon Tan wrote:

> I agree with Brian Suda. It shouldn't be that difficult for GBase  
> to allow a, 'file-upload type of XHTML', and a, 'Trackback/ping  
> service' along with GBase to, 'display the data in
> Microformat encoded formats (where applicable).'

If you want Google to consume microformatted data, it shouldn't be  
difficult to write a microformat-to-TSV convertor.  Google doesn't  
need to change anything to allow this data to be imported.

> While GBase is collecting data on products, jobs, recipes and  
> services is there something to learn from that for MFs?

There's an easy way to test how a microformats approach would fare  
vs. the current Google Base: create a Microformat Base.  Crawl the  
examples-in-the-wild section of each microformat page on the wiki,  
import all the microformatted data found, and demonstrate the  
benefits of this over Google's approach.  If the microformats  
community isn't willing to do this, why should Google?

Peace,
Scott