Should BlogBridge support APML?
What is APML?
APML is a new and evolving standard in the space of attention profiling.
My understanding of it (after doing a reasonable amount of homework) is that it’s an xml-based standard or format for recording and publishing a profile of where attention is focused.
I purposely use that clumsy passive form because I believe that it’s not only what a specific person (i.e you or me) is paying attention to.
One could conceive recording what a group of people, a club or community, or even a computer program is paying attention to. The format doesn’t care.
I won’t go into any detail of what APML is but recommend you to two comprehensive posts on the topic. Check out what Marjolein Hoekstra writes about APML and then also check out what Michael Pick, with Robin Good’s Master New Media writes about APML. Between the two you should get a good picture.
BlogBridge support of APML
Clearly BlogBridge is a good source of attention information. What blogs am I subscribed to? Which ones do I actually read? How many Starz have I assigned to each one? Even which links within blog posts do I click on?
APML support would also fit very neatly within the existing model. We have “My BlogBridge” user signups. So BlogBridge could offer an opt-in, after which a url would be available, for example: http://www.blogbridge.com/apml/pito_salas which would serve up an up to date APML for that user.
Of course as usual, development resources are limited and we think twice and three times before embarking on something like this.
What do you think, as a BlogBridge user? Should we build APML support? Why? What would you then do with that magic URL?
Please let us know via comments to this post, in our support forum, or with an email to support@blogbridge.com
Yes! Yes! Yes! But I already told you that…
Thanks for taking the time to think about adding APML. Chris Saad and company have been doing an amazing job defining and promoting APML.
By the way I’ve been using Blogbrige since we last spoke. Very impressive.
Cheers!
Comment by David Cancel — November 15, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
Go for it!
Comment by MichaelR — November 15, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
Thanks… But: “Should we build APML support? Why? What would you then do with that magic URL?”
What I am trying to get my head around is how will BlogBridge users benefit? What is in it for them? Today, not in some unknown future?
@Dave: Thanks! Tell all your friends
Comment by Pito Salas — November 15, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
Pito, the magic URL should become the user’s interest profile. i use a single URL for my openID login, thus people should use a single URL for their attention profile.
It may not be used everywhere just yet, but simply acknowledging it puts you ahead of the game. By adding APML you would get more attention, since people are checking out products with APML support because they are figuring it out for themselves.
The first site that had openID would have seemed pretty pointless, but now it makes sense to more and more people, and support is only growing for it.
Comment by David Novakovic — November 16, 2007 @ 1:23 am
If you don’t want to get left behind with all those old school web 2.0 sites, you might want to use APML!
Comment by Michael Lambie — November 16, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
Thank you for your article!
Comment by rf coaxial connector — November 19, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
[...] automagicamente solo i contenuti rilevanti. Il formato esiste: ora occorre solo svilupparci sopra. BlogBridge si è già dimostrato interessato a implementare questo standard all’interno del su…. Inutile dire che il primo aggregatore che implementerà l’APML sarà il mio prossimo [...]
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[...] Should BlogBridge support APML ? (by Pito Salas, CEO of BlogBridge, 2007-11-15) [...]
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