Distributed Directories

Today, an application for Radio’s outliner that will be new for many. We’ve brought a feature from Manila into Radio Community Server, making it possible for people to create Yahoo- like directories that appear in their Radio weblogs. These directories can include other directories. They’re built on an open format, OPML; which can be created in any compatible outliner, including Radio’s outliner. Viewed another way, directories are hiearchic blogrolls. When you start getting hundreds of links in your blogroll, and start categorizing them, it’s time to look for something richer, and that’s where directories come in. [Scripting News]

Userland is seriously spooky. Ernie and I talked about this about a month ago, saying how nice it would be if we could each maintain directories of links that incorporated each others’ links. The directory would update each time it was published – including updates from other directory owners.

It sounds as if this is exactly what Userland has done. Just for kicks, I created a “Law Blogs” directory – not complete by a long shot, but it’s a start. Go to:

http://www.rklau.com/tins/stories/2002/06/12/ lawblogs.html

To include this directory (go ahead, Ernie: you know you want to), create an entry in your OPML file that contains this link (give the node a name, then insert a link to the following macro):

<radio.macros.directoryFrame (http://www.rklau.com/tins/gems/ lawblogs.opml, height, width, frameborder, cssUrl, flMinimalTemplate, flXmlButton, flLinkText)>

All items following the OPML URL are optional.

Two notes: (1) Those of us in the law blog world (you know who you are, and Denise, when are you crossing the chasm?!) should experiment a bit, then add this to the multi-author blog that’s been quite quiet lately, and (2) I’ll start a “Prairie Blogs” directory that Jenny, Prof. McGee, Eric, Mike, and others can include in their sites.

Cool!

(P.S.: Does the sun ever shine in London? sigh)

“rpk”