Slammin' the iTunes XML parser

Filed under: Audio, Business, Developer, Internet, Text, Windows, Macintosh, Podcasting, Blogging

Slammin' the iTunes XML parser

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Jul 12th 2005

It can't be all sunshine and lollipops in iTunes podcasting heaven, can it? Lest you think I'm the ultimate Apple fanboy, here is a good example of Cupertino sometimes not getting their act together. Sam Ruby has a pretty scathing review of the XML parser in iTunes.

The problem is, if iTunes has a crummy parser (that is, nonstandard) and podcasting suddenly catches fire (more than it has already), the older, more "standard" XML for podcasts could cause confusion to the user... The twist is Apple has listened to bloggers, and within days had a crack team working on their tags. Or something like that.

But the saga continues. Apple's struggle at this point is tough. Do you introduce a corporate-designed structure, in part because you wish to add features like chapters? Many of Apple's modifications or just plain weirdness with iTunes is to play nice with the iPod (note the new podcast section on the iPod). Some was probably necessitated by corporate governance. The other option is to accept the older "standard" because it's the more community-minded thing to do. Or is there a third option?

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