The OPML of Attention?

Touchstone have announced APML, or Attention Profiling Mark-up Language, and are labelling it the OPML of Attention.

"APML will allow users to export and use their own personal Attention Profile in much the same way that OPML allows them to export their reading lists from Feed Readers.

The idea is to boil down all forms of Attention Data – including Browser History, OPML, Attention.XML, Email etc – to a portable file format containing a description of ranked user interests.

Imagine being able to export your Attention Profile from Amazon and plugging it into Digg to get an instantly customized view of the top Digg stories most relevant to your interests."

It sounds like a worthy initiative but I wonder if it can gain any traction. As yet it's only at the proposal stage - a proposal to establish the APML Workgroup to convert the rough foundation [Touchstone] have laid into an agreed standard. By the way, it's good to see the Draft Specification document (PDF) giving appropriate recognition to Marjolein Hoekstra who does alot of work 'behind the scenes' in this area and doesn't always get the recognition she deserves.

Stowe Boyd has a few words of caution -

"I didn't see any mention of the Attention Trust organization. Is this an alternative standards group, or are they working in concert? It would be good to get all the heads together on this, rather than a bunch of schimatic groups, each pursuing their own vision."

My own concern is that this yet another new format (I can't remember using Attention.xml lately!) and despite the 'OPML of attention' label its not an OPML extension. Could it not have been implemented with an OPML namespace, perhaps similar to the one HyperScope developed?

Anyway, I'll be keeping a close eye on this because, as I've written before, we've moving towards a future of 'feeds everywhere' and the only way we'll be able to manage it is with the aid of attention and grazing tools.

Technorati Tags: opml, apml, attention, trust