2004¦~12¤ë22¤é

Multiple-enclosures on RSS items?. Disclaimer: These are my thoughts, not spec text. This question comes up from time to time, and I've resisted answering it directly, thinking that anyone who really read the spec would come to the conclusion that RSS allows zero or one enclosures per item, and no more. The same is true for all other sub-elements of item, except category, where multiple elements are explicitly allowed. The spec refers to "the enclosure" in the singular. Regardless, some people persist in thinking that you may have more than one enclosure per item. Okay, let's play it out. So if I have more than one enclosure per item, how do I specify the publication date for each enclosure? How do I specify the title, author, a link to comments, a description perhaps, or a guid? The people who want multiple enclosures suggest schemes that are so complicated that they're reduced to hand-waving before they get to the spec, which I would love to read, if it could be written. Some times some things are just too hard to do. This is one of them. And there's a reason why it's too hard. Because you're throwing out the value of RSS and then trying to figure out how to bring it back. There's no need for items any more, so you might as well get rid of them. At the top level of channel would be a series of enclosures, and then underneath each enclosure, all the meta-data. Voila, problem solved. Only what have you actually solved? You've just re-created RSS, but instead of calling the main elements "item" we now call them "enclosure". Sometimes linear thinking leads you to a dead-end, and this is one of those times, imho. You end up in a torus, there's no wall that says "you may go no further" but somehow you keep going in circles, chasing your tail, re-inventing RSS, when there's absolutely no need to. So people ask how will we fit show notes into RSS? Maybe we won't. When you get into show notes, think outlines, and think about linking MP3s into outline structures. I think this has more potential. I could be wrong of course (not joking). Comment here. [Scripting News] 11:54:46 AM

Adobe Reader 7 activates intelligent PDFs, more. Adobe on Tuesday released Adobe Reader 7.0, the latest version of its free software for opening PDFs. In addition to an improved search feature, the ability to fill out and submit forms, the ability to save various files attached to PDF documents and other new functions, Adobe Reader 7 allows you to activate special abilities embedded in PDFs with Acrobat 7.0 Professional or Adobe LiveCycle. Those abilities include adding comments with enhanced tools, affixing digital signatures, using custom stamps and locally saving filled-out forms. Reader 7.0 requires Mac OS X v10.2.8 or v10.3, a G3 processor, up to 35MB RAM and up to 125MB free hard drive space. [MacCentral News] 11:53:09 AM

Medical iPods. Medical iPods: Virginia Postrel picks up on use of iPods as storage/display for synthesized medical imagery. (See screenshots.) I'm not sure of the exact workflow -- seems like numbers would have to be turned to pixels on a workstation, rather... [JD on MX] 11:49:44 AM

Solar Style I was writing a column this month and mentioned the upsweep of solar-powered gear the last few months and my editor's editor (why do I love blogging again?) was all huh?. And yes, okay, solar power isn't anything new, but the new high-efficiency panels are really starting to happen, like this entire new 'Solar Style' line of gear called the 'PV Solar Chargers." You've got yer solar bag, yer flip-out notebook charger, ya gotcher cell phone case with a charger¡Xthis stuff is taking off. The Solar style gear doesn't seem to be quite ready for retail yet, but you can order a 'sample kit' for 200 bucks, which I'm guessing includes a few different units to try out. The press release lists my arch-enemy AirWater Corporation, though, so these might be a force for evil. Be careful. (Thanks, Kelly!) Press Release [Yahoo] - lev (joeljohnson@gmail.com) [Gizmodo] 11:09:32 AM