The Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) has announced the formation of an Atom Publishing Format and Protocol Working Group (atompub) in the IETF Applications Area.

Atom is being created as an enhancement to functionality provided in the popular RSS syndication format, currently documented in several semi-official XML specifications. Atom "defines a feed format for representing and a protocol for editing Web resources such as Weblogs, online journals, Wikis, and similar content. The feed format enables syndication; that is, provision of a channel of information by representing multiple resources in a single document. The editing protocol enables agents to interact with resources by nominating a way of using existing Web standards in a pattern.

Chaired by Paul Hoffman and Tim Bray under the supervision of Applications Area Advisor Scott Hollenbeck, the IETF Atom Publishing Format and Protocol (atompub) Working Group will "use experience gained with RSS (variably used as a name by itself and as an acronym for 'RDF Site Summary', 'Rich Site Summary', or 'Really Simple Syndication') as the basis for a standards-track document specifying the model, syntax, and feed format. The feed format and HTTP will be used as the basis of work on a standards-track document specifying the editing protocol. The goal for the working group is to produce a single feed format and a single editing protocol; the working group will only consider additional formats or additional protocols if those charter changes are approved by the IESG."

According to the new WG Charter, the working group "will also take steps to ensure interoperability, by unambiguously identifying required elements in formats, clearly nominating conformance levels for different types of software, and providing clear extensibility mechanisms and constraints upon them."

Atom currently consists of "a conceptual model of a resource, a concrete syntax for this model, a syndication and archiving format (the Atom feed format) using this syntax, and an editing protocol using this syntax."

"The Atom protocol will be designed to provide security services for updating and accessing dynamic online resources. The working group will consider current known issues with requirements for remote access, along with the fact that many such resources are constrained by providers who provide the resource owners with little configuration control."

The proposed WG schedule calls for release of initial Internet Drafts for the Atom Feed Format and Atom Editing Protocol in June 2004. These Internet Drafts would be submitted approval as Last Call drafts in March 2005, and would be submitted to the IESG for consideration as Proposed Standards in April 2005. The Atom WG Chairs have appointed editors for the proposed Internet Drafts: Joe Gregorio and Robert Sayre will serve as co-editors of the Protocol draft; Mark Nottingham will serve as editor of the Format draft.

From the ATOMPUB WG Announcement 2004-06-16

Current Status: Active Working Group

Chair(s)

Paul Hoffman <paul.hoffman@vpnc.org>
Tim Bray <tbray@textuality.com>

Applications Area Director(s)

Ted Hardie <hardie@qualcomm.com>
Scott Hollenbeck <sah@428cobrajet.net>

Applications Area Advisor

Scott Hollenbeck <sah@428cobrajet.net>

Secretary(ies)

Sam Ruby <rubys@intertwingly.net>

Mailing Lists

General Discussion: atom-syntax@imc.org
To Subscribe: atom-syntax-request@imc.org
In Body: subscribe
Archive: http://www.imc.org/atom-syntax/mail-archive/

Description of Working Group

Atom defines a feed format for representing and a protocol for editing Web resources such as Weblogs, online journals, Wikis, and similar content. The feed format enables syndication; that is, provision of a channel of information by representing multiple resources in a single document. The editing protocol enables agents to interact with resources by nominating a way of using existing Web standards in a pattern.

Atom consists of:

• A conceptual model of a resource
• A concrete syntax for this model
• A syndication and archiving format (the Atom feed format) using this syntax
• An editing protocol using this syntax

The format must be able to represent:

• a resource that is a Weblog entry or article (e.g., it has an author, date, identifier, and content)
• a feed or channel of entries, with or without enclosed content
• a complete archive of all entries in a feed
• existing well-formed XML (especially XHTML) content
• additional information in an user-extensible manner

The editing protocol must enable:

• creating, editing, and deleting feed entries
• multiple authors for a feed
• multiple subjects or categories in a feed
• user authentication
• adding, editing, and deleting users
• setting and getting user preferences
• creating, getting and setting related resources such as comments, templates, etc.