Instead of studying this evening, I did some webservice hacking. Observe the new blogtracker.
I created an applescript that exports my subscription list from NetNewWire and then I have a php script that iterates over the opml file and uses technorati’s websevices to look up data on each blog I’m subscribed to.
This is overload.
From Weaving the Web, by Tim Berners-Lee:
When companies in one layer expand or merge so they can cross layers, the potential for undermining the quality of information in these ways in creases greatly.
The trouble begins when a program that an individual depends on for his use of the Web, such as an operating system or browser, displays an array of icons that will automatically connect him to preferred seach engines, web sites, online programs or ISPs.
For those who haven’t noticed, there has been some heated discussion on the web recently regarding Google’s new Auto-Link feature of Google toolbar (note: there are many other postings to link to, those are just the most recent ones I’ve read).
Here’s the basic idea from Berners-Lee’s book: The web consists of four levels: the tranmission medium, the hardware, the software and the content. Problems occur when business try to leverage their influence (or control) of multiple layer in such a way as to have an unfair advantage (like the 1999 Microsoft anti-trust case).
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