Why I think Origami is important 

I wrote about it on my other blog. The gist is it could be a good thing for readers and publishers because of its curlupwithableness.

OPML directories -- there aren't going to be any fewer of them 

I was thinking it might be a good idea to encourage some informal customs for directories. I had some random instructions in the first node of the first version of my community car roll, then just tonight I tried to refine it a little. I made a node called "About" and one called "Example format" and stuck them down at the bottom of the outline.

About
• This OPML directory is maintained by everyone whose cars are listed. By means of the OPML inclusion feature, I link to each car owner's list just once. Anytime an owner updates a list -- no matter where it's hosted -- the change is reflected in this file.
• If you want to make an OPML file listing all the cars you've ever owned, follow the format illustrated in the next node -- with the cars, not your name, as the top level. I'll put in your name on the master outline. After you have made your list, e-mail me at amybellinger AT gmail DOT com, tell me the URL of the OPML file, and I'll include it in the car roll.

Example format
• Make and model. (This should be your first-level, or leftmost node)
  • Details including model year and year purchased (optional)
  • Comments (optional)

The About node is just for education/propoganda about OPML and how it works.

The Example format node is a little like the first row of a CSV file where the field names are defined, then the data starts in the second line. For something like the car roll, which is just an informal census meant to be browsed, it doesn't much matter that contributors (delegates? what's the terminology?) don't follow the same format.

But what about something like the ipodder podcast directory where there really needs to be a standard format. I think it might make sense as a general rule for the format to be defined somewhere right within the umbrella outline. Plus, who was it, Kosso, who was working on porting OPML files into a database? To make that work right, the format would have to be uniform.

What do you think? Make sense? Too much trouble? Dumb idea?

I need to take a shower 

Checked out the conference site Dave pointed to today. The group's next event is called "Getting to Ka-Ching." VCs.