picoformats

2007-06-22T21:58:10Z

ZopOoo:

= Picoformats =

== Contributors ==
* [http://highearthorbit.com Andrew Turner]
* [http://factoryjoe.com/blog Chris Messina]
* Andy Stack, [http://mozes.com Mozes]

== Introduction ==

Picoformats represent an effort being undertaken by [http://factoryjoe.com/blog Chris Messina] and Andy Stack of [http://mozes.com Mozes] to codify various standards and openly pursue a nomenclature and syntax for communicating and executing commands with mobile devices over SMS or via command line interfaces (CLI).

An example application is [http://dodgeball.com Dodgeball's] use of the at symbol (@) to express checking in to a place.

Using the Microformats process and principles of building block design, our goal is to openly develop a complete syntax for interacting with various mobile services using the characters available on most mobile devices.

== Problem Statement ==

# send messages to user mobiles - via SMS, or a small application,
that contains information like appointment times, locations,
directions, and contact info. For example, when2where.com reminds
users when they need to leave to get to their appointment, so the
message may be like:

leave @ 4:35PM ~Dentist Office -> Detroit, MI

where the text itself is simple and readable, but there *may* be an
small utility that would parse the @ symbol to add the event to the
calendar, the ~ to allow the person to quickly call that contact, or
the -> to pull up a Map/directions to the location

# allow users to write messages to query an application - this is
similar to what Mozes has started with notes:

when2where: ?today --- what appointements to I have today
new @ 4PM ~Olive Garden -> Novi --- add an appointment

In addition to the obvious mobile device arena, I think picoformats
are usable in any context where "markup" is too heavy. For example, I
also just put together an IRC bot, whereisbot, that announces user
locations as they sign into a channel, or allows people to do:

.whereami, or .whereis <nick> to geolocate other people in a channel.

I want to 'markup' the information, but putting actual XHTML or XML is
annoying, since IRC doesn't parse the information at all. So right now
the response is:

ajturner: .whereami
whereisbot: ajturner is in Northville, MI, US [42.4365 x -83.4884]

So then someone could write a Picoformat parser for
X-Chat/Colloquy/other that would parse the [ #### x #### ] and provide
a Map url link.

Using arrows to denote time and place, familiar from video recorders and other devices.
Some thoughts: <past >future ^now (the hat is also mnemonic for Here At) or >5 (in five days time) >>5 (in 5 weeks time) >>>5 (5 months)

Meeting <Leeds went well. ^Home. See you >london
Sorry, saw them <<2 wanna go see film >3?

== Documented Syntaxes ==

* [[actiontastic-syntax | Actiontastic]]
* [[dopplr-syntax | Dopplr]]
* [[facebook-syntax | Facebook Mobile]]
* [[igtd-syntax | iGTD]]
* [[kiboze-syntax|Kiboze]]
* [[mixd-syntax | Mixd]]
* [[plazes-syntax | Plazes]]
* [[quickpack-syntax | QuickPack]]
* [[stikkit-syntax | Stikkit]] http://stikkit.com/
* [[textmarks-syntax|Textmarks]]
* [[tfl-syntax | Transport for London]]
* [[twitter-syntax | Twitter]]

== References ==

* [http://www.kiboze.com/kiboze/CustWorks.aspx Kiboze How it Works]
* Flagr: [http://www.flagr.com/help/howto#mobile_creating_flag Creating mobile flags]
* [http://www.dodgeball.com/glossary Dodgeball Glossary]
* [http://twttr.com/t/help/lingo twttr lingo]
* [http://twitternanoformats.wikispaces.com/ A proposal for Twttr nanoformats]
* [http://skobee.com/email_howto Skobee's email syntax]
* [http://www.meetmoi.com/1/meetmoi?wicket:bookmarkablePage=:com.mdate.web.GettingStarted#11 MeetMoi syntax]
* [https://www.billmonk.com/about/sms BillMonk syntax]

Microformats Wiki - User contributions [en]

picoformats