Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Comparison: ScreamingMedia / Userland Aggregator
Author: Steve Ivy Posted: 11/17/1999; 3:15:20 PM Topic: Comparison: ScreamingMedia / Userland Aggregator Msg #: 13167 Prev/Next: 13166 / 13168
ScreamingMedia- Jay Chiat's recent venture- seems to do a lot of the same things that Userland's aggregator does. They flow content through their engine, and out to affiliate sites. They've got an elaborate system of filters you can make use of to customize the flow.http://www.screamingmedia.net/home.html
What sets userland's aggregator/affiliate apart from ScreamingMedia? I see some of the pros and cons this way:
- ScreamingMedia flows the stories themselves, wrapped in your template. Userland's aggregator provides complete flexibility in what you do with content. Userland wins
- ScreamingMedia provides the story content itself, thereby requiring some sort of copyright agreement with the content provider. Userland's aggrigator is based completely on sites' RSS/SN sindication XML files, removing the need for "permission" to use the links. Userland wins
- ScreamingMedia requires use of a "Harvester" application which runs on the syndicated site's server:
"The Harvester will, on a timed interval, look for content in the form of HTML files in a specific directory. It will search through all files in this directory to see if they contain certain essentialtags which tell the harvester to copy them and sent them back to ScreamingMedia."
Userland's technology is based on polling registered content providers. Anyone who wishes to provide content may do so, by registering their RSS/SN file. Userland wins- ScreamingMedia provides advanced filtering capabilities, allowing the affiliate to construct complicated preferences for the stories which are accepted. Userland passes all content, leaving the task of filtering content to the affiliate. On one hand, this is more work for the affiliate. On the other hand, an affiliate could offer filtering services and build a "ScreamingMedia" on top of Userland's flow. Tie
- ScreamingMedia has a big list of big-name content providers. Userland has a big list of content providers. Who wins? Who's your audience?
So- there you have it. I've probably missed a lot of the nuances of what Jay Chiat and crew are doing, but I think you can see my preference. Perhaps this can help site sout there who may be looking for a content syndication solution. We may be in the future, I've made my choice.
--Steve
There are responses to this message:
- Re: Comparison: ScreamingMedia / Userland Aggrigator, Bill Seitz, 11/18/1999; 7:44:13 AM
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