I'm falling in love with my APML file
When you are intimately involved with developing a piece of software you grow to become unattached to your application configuration. At any given time the next experimental build might blow up and kill your settings or you might have to delete your config files to see what a 'fresh install' might look like for a new user.
Over the last year I have destroyed many an installation of Touchstone - each time thinking nothing of it... Deltree *.* (don't you remember DOS?)
Lately though, I have noticed a change. As the app has switched from a Swiss cheese set of features into a complete product my APML file - the file that contains my Personal Attention Profile - has started to become precious to me.
I can no longer just delete it and start again. It has grown to identify me. It produces content results that I like. I want to protect and nurture it. In fact now I back it up and carefully ensure that I never let it die in the process of trying the next experimental build from the dev team.
My APML file is becoming "the digital representation of my physical self" (Morpheus - Matrix 1).
It is obvious that APML is going to become something quite personal for people, and I would like to publicly recommit ourselves to protecting and nurturing it with all our might.
We are the user's ally in the fight against information overload and the search for great, personally relevant content. And APML is our BFG.
Over the last year I have destroyed many an installation of Touchstone - each time thinking nothing of it... Deltree *.* (don't you remember DOS?)
Lately though, I have noticed a change. As the app has switched from a Swiss cheese set of features into a complete product my APML file - the file that contains my Personal Attention Profile - has started to become precious to me.
I can no longer just delete it and start again. It has grown to identify me. It produces content results that I like. I want to protect and nurture it. In fact now I back it up and carefully ensure that I never let it die in the process of trying the next experimental build from the dev team.
My APML file is becoming "the digital representation of my physical self" (Morpheus - Matrix 1).
It is obvious that APML is going to become something quite personal for people, and I would like to publicly recommit ourselves to protecting and nurturing it with all our might.
We are the user's ally in the fight against information overload and the search for great, personally relevant content. And APML is our BFG.
Labels: APML, attention data, attention profile, love, Media 2.0, personal relevancy, software development
2 Comments:
APML is cool "no doubts there" - however many XML formats have burst onto the seen, professing to be the new black, complete with much pomp and circumstance.. then fizzle and disappear just as quickly.
What will really make-or-break APML, is it's active take-up within the online community. It really needs to go mainstream.. and whilst Touchstone is a great start, others have to pick up the torch and run with it.
When several applications can co-exist and share APML data, then it'll be something to really get excited about.
Just a thought,
Brendan.
I agree 100% Brendan. But while we do our best to support it and create open source libraries for developers to consume it, it's up to the community to demand interoperability between services.
So in many ways it's up to you.
BTW APML is not the new black. Blue is the new black - everyone knows that! haha
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