Superseded by Dates for Atom Entries, 14 Jul 2004.
Three Dates for Atom
I used to think Atom should provide three dates. I don’t anymore and this essay is just part of an example of what I think should be done instead.
Update: As it turns out, I did write an essay about this. How embarrassing. You can basically ignore the rest of this essay.
I used to think Atom should provide three dates. If I’d written an essay about that, this would be it.
The three dates I had in mind were:
- Created
When the essay was created; an immutable point in time.
- Issued
When the essay was last published. Publication occurs whenever a major change is made. Changing the issued date puts an essay back in the “most recent essays” feed.
- Modified
When the essay was last touched. Modification occurs whenever the bits change; fixing a typo, fixing a link, or reformatting a paragraph all change the modified date. Changing the modified date does not put an essay back in the “most recent essays” feed. It’s invisible unless someone goes back to the original source.
The argument could be made that every change should cause the essay to be republished, but I think that’s going to contribute more to noise than signal.
But as it is, this essay is just part of an example to show what I think should be done instead.
Comments
> If I’d written an essay about that, this would be it.
Hmm wouldn't it have been this:
http://norman.walsh.name/2004/03/14/threeDates
Color me embarrassed. As I wrote this, I thought to myself, didn't I write this already? I should check before I push the "publish" button.
Obviously, I didn't. Check that is.