date clarification - handling minor updates ?

[Eric Scheid <eric.scheid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

An issue raised on someone's blog:

> Since upgrading the version of Textpattern that runs this site back in
> February, Išve been utilizing a feature which places the current comment count
> at the end of the title in both my Atom and RSS fields. The idea of this
> feature is that it enables those who read this site via those feeds to see
> when new comments are added.
> 
> Since enabling the feature, Išve had feedback from readers both positive and
> negative in nature. A couple of people have told me that they find it really
> useful, whereas others are finding it annoying that services they have
> monitoring my feeds are reporting new posts when none exist (just comments).

> http://www.allinthehead.com/retro/198/comments-on-comments

Atom:entry has three date fields, and an <id> field. Which of the three
would get updated to properly cope with the above situation?

I'm thinking <modified> wouldn't actually change, not unless there was a
significant change in the blog author's original posting (eg. an "update"
footnote), but I can see <issued> being updated every time there are new
comments. The feed could omit <created>, or use it to represent the original
<issued> date.

Or have I got that the wrong way around?

e.

-- 
Eric Scheid 
Database Assistant
Information and Communications Technology
Australian Film Commission