Open Content Syndication (OCS) is an application of XML and RDF. The OCS Directory format is designed to enable channel listings to be constructed for use by portal sites, client based headline software and other similar applications. The latest version is Version 0.5 which is a complete revision of the OCS directory format. While still RDF, the format now uses a clearer expression of its components which should make it easier to get started with and less verbose for large files. A number of redundancies present in earlier versions have been consolidated so that elements such as schedules and formats can be shared between channels..." [Ian Davis]

[Earlier description 1999-01] "Open Content Syndication (OCS) is an application of XML. The OCS Directory format is designed to enable channel listings to be constructed for use by portal sites, client based headline software and other similar applications."

OCS is supported by Reptile ('reputation-enhanced personal and distributed portal'). "Reptile provides an easy way to share information with others on the Internet in a distributed and efficient manner. It is driven by an XML syndicated content engine (think RSS/OCS). The information may be news syndicated through RSS or any content type including other XML formats and potentially binary data such as MP3, Ogg Vorbis or QuickTime. We say that Reptile is Peer-to-Peer because Reptile scales on a node-by-node basis. Every user who wants to use Reptile, downloads the client and installs it locally. This approach has a number of advantages including scalability, and privacy protection. Each Reptile user can subscribe to any News channel they find interesting. News is found by searching based on keywords, description, and reputation. When new content is found, Reptile presents this to the user providing an event based and decentralized syndication engine. Reptile includes integration of a Reputation Management Framework (RMF) which is used to eliminate useless information. The RMF integration is distributed such that each node can access other nodes while maintaining the ability to tweak reputation calculation settings based on their own taste... Reptile nodes can publish to each other (everything is driven by XML based subscriptions) and provide a decentralized authentication model based on cryptographic mechanisms supporting the concept of Reputation. Reptile is built using Java and XML, and is fully Open Source/Free Software."

References:

• OCS web site
• Open Content Syndication Directory Format. Version 0.5. Edited by Ian Davis (Internet Alchemy). [cache]
• "Open Content Syndication (OCS). Weaving the Web of News." By Michael Classen. From Webreference.com. Jan. 30, 2000. "With the proliferation of channel definitions arose the need for a format-transcending listing of syndications. From the InternetAlchemy.org Web site: 'The Open Content Directory Format is intended to provide a concise, machine readable-listing of a set of syndicated channels. The directory format is capable of supporting multiple sites, each with multiple channels. Each channel can have muliple formats such as RSS (Rich Site Summary) versions 0.90 or 0.91, Plain Text, Avantgo, WML or Scripting News format format as well as separate publishing schedules or languages.' The format uses RDF for expressing the relationship between items, and Dublin Core (DC), a set of well-defined subjects such as title and creator to describe attributes of channels. Note that this format describes a directory of channels rather than a single channel..."
• Contact: Ian Davis