I explored the power of hyperlinks beyond traditional web pages, emphasizing their potential to connect apps and websites more seamlessly. Current linking methods, while fundamental to the web's interconnected nature, fall short of the ideal. I advocate for expanding the capabilities of registerProtocolHandler to access native schemes system-wide, enabling websites to handle various content types and register as system file handlers. Furthermore, I propose a richer vocabulary of link actions beyond 'VIEW', such as 'PICK', 'SAVE', and 'EDIT', to better define website and app capabilities, similar to Android Intents and Siri's functionality. Tools like Comlink inspire this vision by simplifying cross-app communication, paving the way for link-driven function discovery and a more integrated online experience.
I'm still passionate about making web apps easily discoverable and interlinked, even though Web Intents didn't take off as I'd hoped. We web developers boast about the power of the URL, but we're not leveraging it effectively for inter-app linking, which is hindering the web's potential. Recent experiences building a QR code reader and seeing how other apps integrate them highlighted this issue. The web's strength is its zero-install nature, allowing instant access to functionality. However, many web apps erect barriers like landing pages and login forms, negating this advantage. These barriers act like app store install pages, killing the linkability and ease of use that makes the web great. While capturing user data is important, we need to prioritize frictionless usage, perhaps by adopting concepts like "tourist" or "shadow" user accounts. Native apps are exploring app constellations, while we on the web already have the tools but aren't utilizing them effectively. We must allow users instant access if we want truly linkable web apps.
I'm developing the next version of the AJAX Tagger and need your input! Currently, it enhances blog posts by linking to related blogs on Technorati. For the next version, I'm wondering if you'd prefer it to link to other sources like IceRocket or even Wikipedia. Let me know where you'd find automatic tag links most valuable.
I was listening to a BBC Radio 4 program about blogging, and a guest pointed out that US/European bloggers link to others more than UK bloggers. Inspired by this, I'm going to upload an OPML file so people can see the feeds I read. I'm starting to understand OPML's use in RSS feeds and online journals, planning to categorize my feeds. I'm also thinking of adding a section to my site for linking to interesting articles I find in those feeds, with my own comments.
