Re: more on the simplified feed format

[Ken MacLeod <ken@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The SSFF wiki page has been updated based on msgs here and chat, and
now includes a more complete example drawn from Joe's recent API quick
summary.

  http://intertwingly.net/wiki/pie/SuperSimpleFeedFormat

To summarize, this proposal concerns the recommended feed profile for
publishers.  Its principle differences are:

  * An <entry> in SSFF feed profile is as minimal as possible.

  * SSFF assumes additional data and extensions are in the linked
    entry, not in the feed.

  * SSFF assumes the linked AtomEntry has the same access rights as
    the feed (public or protected).  This doesn't necessarily mean the
    resource contains all the information available to the owner of
    the resource.

  * This proposal incorporates the suggestion that the "feed" resource
    be used as the "entry point" into previous feed resources that can
    be used to access a larger history of the site.

Ziv correctly points out that feed producers do not have to keep to
the minimal profile, they can choose to copy as much data and content
into their feeds as they desire to serve.  Feed consumers will always
be expected to fetch the linked AtomEntry resource when the link
exists, with values in the linked entry taking precedence.

Producers using the SSFF feed profile can expect to have reduced feed
sizes that come close to or smaller than the earliest syndication
feeds.

Consumers are given the opportunity to implement several access
patterns:

 * Only download the resource when selected for display.

 * Download resources automatically, with notification when they
   change.

 * Pre-fetch for offline display.

 * The ability to back-fetch a site's index and/or content upon
   subscribing.


  -- Ken