Re: Meta-service doc/collection

[Jan Algermissen <algermissen1971@xxxxxxx>]

On 19.01.2008, at 01:41, Tim Bray wrote:

> I'm turning back to mod_atom after ignoring it for a couple of  
> months.  One of the problems is that you create a blog by adding a  
> line to the Apache config file.  One config-file line, one  
> publication, nice and simple.  This doesn't scale if you want to  
> create/destroy pubs much at all.  So I've been wondering how you'd  
> go about allowing people to create publications without screwing  
> with config files.  The answer is obvious: you have one service doc  
> and collection, where the entries represent the publications, with  
> links to the service docs.  Then you can create and delete  
> publications and update their metadata via the Atom Protocol with  
> POST/PUT/DELETE to the "meta-service" doc and the links in the  
> "meta-collection" doc.
>
> Interesting question: to create a new publication, do you need to  
> post an Entry with <content type="application/atomsvc+xml">?  I  
> don't think so...
>
> Anyhow... is that all one needs to say?

IMHO, you are describing an expectation that is not covered by APP  
and therefore the client needs additional information about the  
service in order to deduce "POSTing to that collection will create a  
new feed".  Seems like a use case for James' features draft.


> Or are there some other things to be worked out that might benefit  
> from standardization?

Yes and no. If this was standardized, the same should be done for  
related things such as account and access management and this raises  
the usual question: where does one stop? Could this be packed up into  
a larer extension? (Coincidently I will have to deal with exactly  
these question next week)

Jan

> I'll have a more informed opinion after I finish implementing.
>
> It occurs to me that having a <link rel="meta-service" href="URI of  
> meta-service doc" /> might be nice.  But I don't need one so maybe  
> YAGNI.
>
>   -Tim