Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Outline XML files need a name

Author:Dave Winer
Posted:9/15/2000; 2:29:44 PM
Topic:Outline XML files need a name
Msg #:21361
Prev/Next:21360 / 21362

Turning a corner 

OK, we have a bit of a corner to turn in the next couple of days. Brent just made a change that makes it so that Radio UserLand can open other kinds of XML documents, not just ones that contain outlines.

At the same time he's finishing up a new version of RU that has the outline-to-XML routines kernelized, so any changes to the format, which I'm documenting, have to be made now.

I want to come up with a new file extension for these files. Like .html, or .xml, but one that indicates that there's an outline inside. Before you say it should be .outl, read on.

The outline document format is designed to parallel HTML. There's a and a . The contains elements that control the display of the outline and identify the author and say when it was created and modified. It tells you which lines to expand, and how to vertically scroll the outline, so when you open it again it's in the same state as when you saved it.

An attribute of an outline can link to another document, through a URL, and when you expand it, the top-level summits of that outline fill in underneath the headline. This is new, and it's remarkably low-tech and it works, Radio UserLand has had this feature for a couple of months now. It's one of the reasons people who use it are so excited.

In the same way that HTML files link to each other to form the world wide web, outlines link to each other to form a similar effect.

The World Outline 

A few months ago as I was cooking this up, I decided to be ambitious and call it The World Outline. Say that in a single breath and pause. Hmmm. The World Outline. It's grandiose, but I like it. So that's what it's called.

The straightforward name 

So continuing algorithmically, if the structure is the World Outline, then the file format must be the World Outline Markup Language, or WOML. That could be the only name that works. It's certainly the most straightforward one.

Other choices 

WOLF -- World Outline Lingua Franca. (Yuck.)

WOOF -- World Outline Object Format. (Impressive. Humorous.)

ROX -- Radio Outline XML. (Tied to product name, musical, hip?)

OPML -- Outline Processor Markup Language. (Simple, not heavy.)

Ideas? 

I gotta settle on this in hours not days. Any kickstarts for new ideas are welcome. Don't say you don't like this or that, but if one really grabs you let me know. If you have other ideas, that would be great.



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