photocasting
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iLife updates abound in Software Update
Fire up Software Update, folks, as the iLife apps have received a boost. Specifically, iPhoto is at version 6.0.1, iDVD is at 6.0.1, iWeb reaches version 1.0.1 and the all-mighty iTunes has 6.0.3 ready to go. According to Apple, specifics on each update are as follows:iPhoto 6.0.1:"This update to iPhoto resolves issues with photocasting, viewing thumbnails in large libraries, and ordering cards, calendars and books. It also addresses a number of other minor issues."iDVD 6.0.1:"This update to iDVD 6 resolves issues with integration with the other iLife applications, importing of legacy projects and some theme related issues. It also addresses a number of other minor issue"iWeb 1.0.1:"This update to iWeb 1.0 addresses issues related to publishing and blogs. It also addresses a number of other minor issues."iTunes 6.0.3:"iTunes 6.0.3 includes stability and performance improvements over iTunes 6.0.2."Thanks to all the TUAW readers who sent this in!Update: iMovie (6.0.1) has been added as well. Thanks, Taylor!
iPhoto 6 can handle non-.Mac photocasts
While Apple might have coined the term "photocast" (at least I never heard it until Macworld this year), an RSS feed containing images is certainly nothing new. Fortunately, iPhoto 6 knows this, and you can easily subscribe to non-.Mac photocasts simply by using File > Subscribe to Photocast and entering the URL of your favorite photocast. Try our TUAW Flickr feed on for size.The MacOSXHints post where I found this mentioned they had errors the first time they tried a couple feeds, but they wound up behaving on a second try. For the record though, our Flickr feed behaved just fine for me in iPhoto 6 on my PowerBook.
Is Photocasting totally non-standard?
Not that Dave Winer is the complaining type, just like Mossberg is a "tough critic," but Dave and Kevin Yank have been swimming around in Apple's photocasting business. They didn't like what they saw. Remember Jobs saying something about photocasting using "industry standard" RSS stuff? I remember that phrase specifically, although I don't recall if it was regarding photocasting (I think it was). In fact, I remember looking at my brother and thinking, "yeah right." The RDF shook off for a moment, because I know that Apple, while they do love to look at standards, won't always adhere to a standard if they don't want to.In this case, looks like they took secrecy over compliance. Instead of asking someone like Winer (who would gladly hold his tongue if it's to promote a standard instead of break it), as there is no standards body for RSS, Apple just kinda forged their own standard. Yeah, it uses standards in the same way I use the military: I'm glad they are there, but I never joined up. Basically the RSS is so screwed up the only way to read the feeds is to use Safari.The full details of what is broken is over at this unofficial documentation of iPhoto 6.0 photocasting feeds. Dave Winer has his words, witty as always, and Kevin Yank winds up saying what some are thinking: "Apple is the new Microsoft." Although I would like to point out that that unofficial documentation goes to Apple lists, and I have a feeling they are going to look at this. Heck, they might even fix it! So next year I'll gladly pay another $79 for XML that "just works."
