Latest News from Ric Hardacre

Can RSS & XML Help Us Build the Data Web?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 04:15:00 EST

Now let's consider the most-seen AJAX powered mashup: modifications of map sites, adding real estate pictures and locations to a map, for example. This sort of thing would be made a lot easier and accessible if the real estate agents published an RSS-like feed of properties, along with their GPS coordinates and prices. Even in this limited scope the possibilities are endless, a burger chain could publish the locations of its restaurants, or news bulletins could come attached with markers. Planes, trains, and - well, possibly - automobiles could be tracked and tacked onto maps. Want to see where the roadworks are on your journey? Just import the official highway's feed of roadworks into any mapping site or software of your choosing.

Beyond HTTP

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:15:00 EST

What we need is a Web browser that doesn't just serve up documents, but serves up applications.' Early in 2006 I was given a design brief: a UK-based shipping company wanted to replace its shipment tracking system with a Web-based solution.

Beyond HTTP

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:15:00 EST

Is this really the way forward? A tree-based object model accessed by an interpreted scripting engine tacked onto a specification designed for static read-only documents?