RE: RSS 1.0 Event module (was: RDF Calendar todo list)

A further thought.

One good thing about the RSS 1.0 Event module is the intention to make it
fairly easy to set up from a publisher's perspective - I think that as
general concept it is good to consider both the end user AND the publisher
of the information - anything we do should be useable and functional for
both points of view.

I.e. - it should be simple and easy to set up data sources AND it should be
simple and easy to manipulate and utilize those sources.

My company is taking one highly complex approach to this problem (more off
list if anyone is interested) - but we are very interested in seeing that it
is easy for publishers and users alike to use these types of tools and
services.

One main problem with Calendaring (leaving aside scheduling even for the
moment) is that it "feels" like something simple - and for the individual
case it can be relatively easy - but when you expand the problem set to
include the world - each individual user's quirks and differences of
language, meaning, and conceptualizing of what is needed on a calendar come
into play - the problem becomes much more complex as your begin to
incorporate different classes of users, uses, and sets of information.

It is great to see so many people interested in addressing this - and making
progress - we just have to keep in mind that some steps we take now that
seem like they will make it easier in the short term - may limit and
constrain us sooner than expected.

Shannon

-----Original Message-----
From: www-rdf-calendar-request@w3.org
[mailto:www-rdf-calendar-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of David King
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 12:43 PM
To: RDF Calendar
Subject: RSS 1.0 Event module (was: RDF Calendar todo list)


I don't think the RSS 1.0 Event module is a good example of how we want to
go about syndicating events.  Shannon pointed out the main flaws...it
doesn't deal with the difficult but necessary calendar issues such as
recurrence and timezones.

I hope these words don't come out too harsh and scathing, but the module
just adds ambiguity to the calendaring scene and will frustrate new users
trying to get a grasp of all the hard issues it doesn't address.

-David

> -----Original Message-----
> From: www-rdf-calendar-request@w3.org
> [mailto:www-rdf-calendar-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of Shannon J. Clark
> Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 1:02 PM
> To: RDF Calendar
> Subject: RE: RDF Calendar todo list
>
>
> Just to add a couple of quick thoughts - I'm more familiar with
> iCal than I
> am with RSS (but I am getting up to speed).
>
> The intention behind not using UTC offsets included the following points:
>
> 1. - preservation and impartation of user/organizer information -
> specifically the NAME of the timezone - which differs even within the same
> offset (and by season i.e. Eastern Standard, Eastern Daylight - in the US
> with differing names in Canada or Brazil)
>
> 2. - for events impacted by Daylight shifts (and more to the point,
> providing enough information to know) - whether by the initial
> occurance, by
> the duration of the initial event, or by way of a reoccurrence.
>
> To offset the requirement that timezones be used, iCal has a requirement
> that all utilized timezones be communicated along side the
> objects that use
> them - whether in a flat file, or though a messaging communication (iTip,
> iMip, CAP).
>
> So, if the RSS event feed type system is not going to deal with
> reoccurring
> events that may address partially point 2, but it does not
> address point 1 -
> namely communicating and offering for display information in a the most
> human readable/understandable format possible. Canadian users do
> not like to
> see US timezones to take a simple example.
>
> Shannon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: www-rdf-calendar-request@w3.org
> [mailto:www-rdf-calendar-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of Libby Miller
> Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 11:30 AM
> To: David King
> Cc: RDF Calendar
> Subject: RE: RDF Calendar todo list
>
>
>
> I'd agree - this is a good reason to divide it up into separate
> namespaces perhaps, since simplicity is a precondition for
> widespead uptake, which is something that RSS 1.0 could
> provide. Similar considerations apply to datetimes - keep it simple -
> which might mean UTC offsets allowed.
>
> I guess everyone has seen the RSS proposed events module?
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rss-dev/files/Modules/Proposed/mod_e
vent.html

cheers

Libby

On Mon, 2 Jul 2001, David King wrote:

> What I would like to see come out of this work is something that can be
used
> with an RSS 1.0 iCalendar module.  Hopefully this can be kept in mind
during
> the current process.
>
> For the last few months I've been thinking about the syndication of
events.
> The syndication of headlines has already proved itself to be quite cool
and
> I thought the model translated well over to events.  Ultimately, I would
> like to be able to subscribe to an event feed and have the events show up
in
> my calendar user agent.
>
> -David King
>
>

Received on Monday, 2 July 2001 13:59:37 UTC