Back?

Just updated the Tails Export extension for FireFox 3. Just to let you know ...

Oh, and I changed jobs in december 2006. So now I'm working for Kennisnet, and getting them intrested in Microformats. Where will this lead to? A rekindled intrest in Tails Export thats for sure.

Interesting ...

I'm starting to think how to change the code of Tails Export in such a manner that adding Microformats becomes a breeze. Quite easy now, but I still need to go in change the code and release a new version. Would be nice if Microformats can be added on the fly.

I like what this guy has done at hubmed, however this is only substraction. And I want to be able to handle multiple Microformats in a page without immediately exporting them. But I like the way he is thinking. This also allows for proprietary Microformats to be handle, or handle standard Microformats in a different way. Interesting.

Its official ...

I'm a dad again! And its great ... but boy did I forget the nightshifts. So as version 3.2 will be quite a while off I'll be releasing this version (3.1) via the addons.mozilla.org site somewhere this week. And then I'll start contributing to the Microformat wiki. See if I can make myself useful there and it won't take as much time is my guess.

0.3.1 ...

For those interested this is the latest version let me know what you think.

I'll go through all comments and see what I can do to resolve issues and/or requests. The release needs some beefing up with more functionality.

Microformat blog ?

This is becoming more of a Microformat / Tails Export blog then anything to do with Elsevier and my work there. Most of my time I'm stuck behind my desk / phone and trying to move things along. However I have managed to generate an intrest in Microformats and Social Software in general. So thats good. What will happen and when is of course the second step, but at least I'm happy that people are starting to pay attention to this within Elsevier.

Still plodding along

I've been ill, on vacation and away on business trips and Tails Export has been left laying on my desk for quite a while now. But I'm still plodding along, I did have amply time to think about it and have come up with a new concept that will save me loads of time in the long run. However in the short run I will be swamped with work, need to get down and dirty.

So what brilliant idea have I come up with? Well XMDP was my starting point, being used to XML, DTD's and schema's I would like something similar to describe a microformat in the microformat way. All that Tails Export needs to then do is be able to load that and you are ready to rock-and-roll. Well there is more to it then that, and I'm bound to bump into awful problems, but that's fun, and a lot of work. So I'll first finish the next version and then dive into this.

I'll not only put it up via the official route, but also on this site. The next version is planned to be out before Christmas, just like PS3 :-) Hopefully earlier! I'll keep you all updated. Thanks for all the feedback and support.

Tails Export version 0.3.x

Having just filed version 0.2.5 for approval by Mozilla I now have started thinking about version 0.3.x. Obviously some bugs need to be resolved, I need to clean-up the code and add new microformats. Of course. This will extend the usefulness of the extension, but I would like to take it even further.

One thing that is very high on my wish list is to implement a Google maps link that will show where and event (vevent) or person (vcard) is. If they have given geo tags of course. Even better if this also shows other events and persons around that location. And nice venues in the neighbourhood (hReview) to kill time before an event or appointment takes place.

I'm not for a central repository of data with cards, event and reviews, but is there any other way? And is Tails Export extension on the right track to achieve this? Lots of questions, not to mention that for Google maps I need a hosted environment somewhere. As apparently to be able to use the Google maps API you need to sign up and give a URL from which you access the API. Sigh.

Having a central repository would also allow the creation of a yellow pages site ... hmmmm. Suddenly I have a business case.

Other thoughts I'm playing wish is an extended hCard and hCalendar creator, with geo tags, that will generate nice looking business cards and event promotions [animated gif banners]. Maybe also for venue hReviews, although that might need a more of a community approach. In other words a website where people add, edit and delete reviews ... wiki-venue seems an option.

Anyway as always loads to think about and do, not enough time, money and resources. For now I'll just concentrate on getting version 0.3.x out.