The specifications being created at microformats.org are not only an excellent source of inspiration for class names, but they may pave the way to a more semantic Web. By marking up content of certain types in POSH and standardized ways, the content is given meaning. Tools embedded in Web browsers today (there are extensions for Mozilla Firefox already) can call out that information and enable users to do useful things with it, such as adding appointments to their calendar software or adding users’ contact information to their address books.
Future tools may do even more. Search aggregators that mine for data such as reviews of products, resumes, or even syndication of articles are a distinct possibility.
There are a number of microformats already standardized, and more in development every day. Some of these include:
- hCalendar format for date and time (appointment) type information
- hCard format for contact information
- XOXO format for outlines
- hAtom format for syndication of blog articles
- hResume format for resumés
- hReview format for reviews