[Web4lib] Microformats

Ross Singer ross.singer at library.gatech.edu
Thu Jul 27 16:28:41 EDT 2006


The intention of the microformat is to semantically mark up data that
appears in HTML.

This way, items on web pages can become more 'actionable' (machines
can figure out what's there and do something with them) without the
need for screen scraping (which is prone to failure).

There are those (ok, it's me) that grow a little weary of their
'humans first' dogma; I'm not convinced that /everything/ needs to
appear in the display.

Still, when you start working with the concept of microformats it's
tough to deny the usefulness.

-Ross.

On 7/27/06, Karen Coyle <kcoyle at kcoyle.net> wrote:
> I took a look at some of this and still can't quite figure out what
> makes something a "microformat" as opposed to a "format." (Yes, I read
> the definition page on the wiki.) Can anyone articulate that? It just
> seems like an excuse to create YAF (yet another format).
>
> kc
>
> Ross Singer wrote:
> > You'll also see librarians and their 'ilk' all over:
> >
> > http://microformats.org/wiki/citation
> >
> > and
> >
> > http://microformats.org/wiki/uid
> >
> > -Ross.
> >
> > On 7/27/06, Jeremy Frumkin <jeremy.frumkin at oregonstate.edu> wrote:
> >> So, work related to microformats and libraries is already underway.
> >> Check
> >> out the unAPI work (http://unapi.info/), which evolved from earlier
> >> work on
> >> COinS (http://www.ocoins.info).
> >>
> >> -- jaf
> >>
> >>
> >> On 7/27/06 12:03 PM, "Keith D. Engwall" <kengwall at catawba.edu> wrote:
> >>
> >> > I'm curious as to what interest there is among the library
> >> community for
> >> > Microformats (http://microformats.org).
> >> >
> >> > I'm still getting my head wrapped around them, but I think there's
> >> > potential for developing microformats for digital collections, brief
> >> > catalog records, etc.
> >> >
> >> > For an excellent introduction to what Microformats are, check out:
> >> >
> >> > Digital Web Magazine: Microformats Primer by Garrett Dimon
> >> > (http://www.digital-web.com/articles/microformats_primer/)
> >> >
> >> > Microformats Wiki: Introduction to Microformats
> >> > (http://microformats.org/wiki/introduction)
> >> >
> >> > Keith
> >> >
> >> > ---------------------------------
> >> > Keith Engwall
> >> > Head of Library Systems and Technology
> >> > Catawba College
> >> > Salisbury, NC
> >> > kengwall at catawba.edu
> >> >
> >> > "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public
> >> > relations, for nature cannot be fooled." - Richard P. Feynman
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Web4lib mailing list
> >> > Web4lib at webjunction.org
> >> > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> -- jaf
> >>
> >> ===============================================
> >> Jeremy Frumkin
> >> The Gray Chair for Innovative Library Services
> >> 121 The Valley Library, Oregon State University
> >> Corvallis OR 97331-4501
> >>
> >> Jeremy.Frumkin at oregonstate.edu
> >>
> >> 541.737.9928
> >> 541.737.3453 (Fax)
> >> 541.230.4483 (Cell)
> >> ===============================================
> >> " Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes
> >> nothing. "
> >> - Emerson
> >>
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> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
>
> --
> -----------------------------------
> Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
> kcoyle at kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
> ph.: 510-540-7596
> fx.: 510-848-3913
> mo.: 510-435-8234
> ------------------------------------
>
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