interspace RSS protocol

What is interspace?

interspace is a proposal for a search and information retrieval protocol for social sites based on the rss standard.

Why do we need interspace ?

while social sites connect people, it seems a given, that they can only ever connect those people, which are members of their particular social site. so while one may find those people who joined the same social site, other friends may be using a totally different site. at the present time, members of different social site don't even have a way of knowing of each others mutual presence on the internet. to solve this, i propose an intersite-search between social sites using an interspace-RSS-protocol, which is described below.

Of course we don't need interspace, but we need the method. this is my proposal, it is no big deal (its simply RSS2.0), and it is consciously labeled version 0.5, as it needs improvement.

the search

REQUEST: http://mypace.net/rss/interspace/search/Doe
ALTERNATE REQUEST http://comin.net/scripts/interspace.php?search=Doe
a search for the username "Doe" returns the following:



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel>	

<generator>mypace/0.5</generator>	

<title>interspace search - mypace.net</title>	

<link>http://mypace.net/rss/interspace/search/Doe</link>	

<description>mypace.net User search</description>	

<language>en</language>	

<copyright>&copy;2007 mypace.net</copyright>	

<item>	

	<title>JohnDoe21</title>	

	<link>http://mypace.net/rss/interspace/profile/JohnDoe21</link>	

	<description>enter description here.</description>	

</item>			

<item>	

	<title>JaneDoe412</title>	

	<link>http://mypace.net/rss/interspace/profile/JaneDoe412</link>	

	<description>No description here.</description>	

</item>		

		

...	

	

</channel></rss>

the profile

REQUEST: http://mypace.net/rss/interspace/profile/JohnDoe21
ALTERNATE REQUEST http://comin.net/scripts/interspace.php?profile=JohnDoe21
a request for the profile of "JohnDoe21" returns the following:



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel>	

<generator>mypace/0.5</generator>	

<title>interspace profile - mypace.net</title>	

<link>http://mypace.net/rss/interspace/profile/JohnDoe21</link>	

<description>Profile of JohnDoe21@ mypace.net</description>	

<language>en</language>	

<copyright>&copy;2007 mypace.net</copyright>	

<item>	

	<title>NAME</title>	

	<link type="profile">http://mypace.net/profile/JohnDoe21</link>	

	//ALTERNATE <link type="invite">http://mypace.net/askforinvite/JohnDoe21</link>	

	//ALTERNATE <link type="join">http://mypace.net/join</link>	

	//ALTERNATE <link type="void">void://</link>	

	<description>JohnDoe21</description>	

</item>			

<item>	

	<title>PRIMARYCONTACT</title>	

	<link>mailto:JohnDoe21@gmail.com</link>	

	<description>JohnDoe21@gmail.com</description>	

</item>		

<item>	

	<title>for example "Musical Interests"</title>	

	<description>free to choose, but you may use only #p#- #ul#- #li#- and #a#-tags</description>	

</item>			

<item>	

	<title>for example "Favorite Movies"</title>	

	<description>free to choose, but you may use only #p#- #ul#- #li#- and #a#-tags</description>	

</item>			

	

...	

	

</channel></rss>

security(server-side)

a good social site, like my imaginary mypace.net, would give the user full control over what information to share with the inside and the outside:

If an arbitrary user of mypace.net requests information about you, what should we answer ?

There is no JohnDoe21, as far as we know. (Also makes your contributions and items invisible to all but your friends.)
JohnDoe21 will speak only to friends. Ask to be a friend.
JohnDoe21 is open to talk. Here is his basic contact information.
JohnDoe21 is open to talk. Here is his full profile.
JohnDoe21 is open to talk. Here is his full profile, a list of his contributions and items.

If a friend requests information about you, what should we answer ?

JohnDoe21 is open to talk. Here is his full profile.
JohnDoe21 is open to talk. Here is his full profile, a list of his contributions and items.

If an outside source requests information about you, what should we answer ?

There is no JohnDoe21, as far as we know.
JohnDoe21 is a User of mypace.net
JohnDoe21 is a User of mypace.net. Ask for an invite!
JohnDoe21 is a User of mypace.net. Here is his basic contact information.
JohnDoe21 is a User of mypace.net. Here is his basic contact information. Ask for an invite!
JohnDoe21 is a User of mypace.net. Here is his full profile.
JohnDoe21 is a User of mypace.net. Here is his full profile. Ask for an invite!