Late last year Facebook very quietly added support of microformats to its data download feature. In case you are not aware of the data download, Facebook allows you to (in real essence) backup your all data from the social network, including your photos, any urls that you may have shared, all your wall posts and comments etc etc...
Previously the exported data was just a zip file bundled with all the data from your profile. Making it nothing more than a simple backup since all you could do was keep it safe. What use was that we do not know ;). This, as obvious, was useless for app developers (and for an otherwise user) since you couldn't import the data to any other app or program. For those who are not aware of the tiny info (and link) that sits in your account settings here is the path: Account-->Account Settings (General Account Settings)-->Download a copy of your Facebook data-->Start Archive
Once you start the process your archived data will be ready to be downloaded. Now just wait for a mail from Facebook and once you get it click on the link in the mail and you will have all your data with you. Facebook already warns that the contact details of your network will only contain the contact names, unless the contact himself/herself has allowed Facebook (in the settings) to use their email addresses in which case the contact data will have the mail Ids as well.
[Image Credit: One of our regular reader Deepak Arora!]
Coming back to the microformats, with their use Facebook has provided a format that is more consistent with the rest of the web and opened gates for app developers to be able to use Facebook user data outside of the site itself and its APIs. But that comes with a warning issued to developers for they are to only use the data after a user downloads its social data and submits the archived data for usage, rather than accessing any user's data through any app interface, trying to do so will have Facebook disable the app itself!
Facebook seems to be using the hAtom(wall posts and comments, including permalinks and published dates), hMedia(all your videos and audios including all the titles and comments) and hCard(profile and contact data, only names like we said earlier) microformats. Follow the links to read more about them but for now the info provided here in brackets should give you a fare idea on what data the formats provide you.
Good idea on part of Facebook to be using the microformats since all other major services like Twitter and Blogger were already using it when Facebook started on this. Making it more consistent haan Mark!!
Previously the exported data was just a zip file bundled with all the data from your profile. Making it nothing more than a simple backup since all you could do was keep it safe. What use was that we do not know ;). This, as obvious, was useless for app developers (and for an otherwise user) since you couldn't import the data to any other app or program. For those who are not aware of the tiny info (and link) that sits in your account settings here is the path: Account-->Account Settings (General Account Settings)-->Download a copy of your Facebook data-->Start Archive
[Image Credit: One of our regular reader Deepak Arora!]
Coming back to the microformats, with their use Facebook has provided a format that is more consistent with the rest of the web and opened gates for app developers to be able to use Facebook user data outside of the site itself and its APIs. But that comes with a warning issued to developers for they are to only use the data after a user downloads its social data and submits the archived data for usage, rather than accessing any user's data through any app interface, trying to do so will have Facebook disable the app itself!
Facebook seems to be using the hAtom(wall posts and comments, including permalinks and published dates), hMedia(all your videos and audios including all the titles and comments) and hCard(profile and contact data, only names like we said earlier) microformats. Follow the links to read more about them but for now the info provided here in brackets should give you a fare idea on what data the formats provide you.
Good idea on part of Facebook to be using the microformats since all other major services like Twitter and Blogger were already using it when Facebook started on this. Making it more consistent haan Mark!!
Post Credit
Works with ApnaCircle.com and lives in Faridabad, India. Deepak is a very regular and interactive reader of our posts. Loves to get involved and share ideas. Currently is on a lookout for a nice Android Phone in the market. Suggest him some if you know of some good Android smartphones in the market, preferably those that are upgradeable to Android ICS(ver. 4.0.x)
Connect with him either on ApnaCircle for his professional life or add him to your circle on Google plus.
Works with ApnaCircle.com and lives in Faridabad, India. Deepak is a very regular and interactive reader of our posts. Loves to get involved and share ideas. Currently is on a lookout for a nice Android Phone in the market. Suggest him some if you know of some good Android smartphones in the market, preferably those that are upgradeable to Android ICS(ver. 4.0.x)
Connect with him either on ApnaCircle for his professional life or add him to your circle on Google plus.
This is handy to know!
ReplyDeleteHello Dan,
ReplyDeleteWe couldn't agree more ;)