eMail Feedburner to include iTunes RSS code!

[TINKOFF RADIO]

Hey Feedburners!
Rather than whining about the crappy RSS code, let's make something happen. For all of you still using Feedburner (like myself) I suggest letting them know ASAP that you would like to see the iTunes code as a built-in feature inside their service.

If enough of their customers speak up, I'm sure they'll listen.

http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/feedback

Thanks and happy recording!

Adam Tinkoff
TINKOFF RADIO

[Will-Casel]

Excellent idea!

Done!

[ferg]

To be honest, I wish they'd just put in place where we could put any extra tags we would like to see inside of the <channel> tag. I could live without the item-specific stuff, for now. This would also solve my problem with the pupu player.

[PupuStudios]

well you can put tags in <channel> for "all-encompasing" effects. something like:
<channel>
<title>blah</title>
<description>my description</description>
<pp:media image="http://www.mysite.com/myimage.jpg" link="http://www.mysite.com />
<item>
...
</item>
</channel>

Now you can't say I didn't listen to what the podcasters wanted.

[ferg]

Right, but what I'm saying is - with Feedburner, I can't add tags to the channel tags. I can't add tags anywhere. It's all automated.

[jeffoest]

I have NEVER messed with XML in my life. (I've just used what Blogger --> Feedburner have given me). But that said, it's just looks like another formatted meta-language - how hard can it be, right?

So, just because I'm a dumbie here, let me know if I got this right - Until feedburner updates their tags to work with Apples, I would

1) Upload my show like normal
2) Run Blogger
3) Edit my resulting XML with a text editor to add the tags to make it more Apple friendly
4) Upload the new XML file.

Is that about right? Yippee - one more thing to add to my weekly production hassles...

[ferg]

1) Upload my show like normal
2) Run Blogger
3) Edit my resulting XML with a text editor to add the tags to make it more Apple friendly
4) Upload the new XML file.

Is that about right? Yippee - one more thing to add to my weekly production hassles...

Not exactly...
Blogger generates an XML file that is in the atom format (not RSS)...Feedburner then interprets it, and formats it automatically in RSS 2.0. In the process it strips out any additional tags you might add to the atom.xml file.

Now, you could run blogger, ping feedburner, then edit the feedburner XML and update it then post it to your website, but, as a result, really, it would be easier to just manually maintain your xml file. One small downside is that you don't have the feedburner stats, but is it that big 'a deal?

I've fooling around with trying to load an xml file that I modified, and I can't get itunes to take it - getting errors....

[jawbone]

I've been running 2 feeds. One that I hand code and one of my blogger. I was hoping on dumping my hand coded feed since it was getting to be such a hassle. Looks like I'll have to spend more time doing that. :/

[jeffoest]

Your right of course. I was quickly thinking between meetings... ugh.. no time for this right now. I'm going to try to cling onto my Feedburner stats, if that means delaying adding Apple tags for a bit, i'll probably do it. I don't think I'm as anxious as others here at the moment...

Thanks Ferg... I wonder how long it will take Feedburner to accomodate the tags. If someone would have asked me, I would have guessed that Apple was talking to Feedburner and that they would have something ready for it. i'm puzzled and a bit underwhelmed. BUT (still have an open mind!) lol

So...Apple is expecting all podcasters to hand-code their XML basically. That's what it comes down to right? And hand-code upon every release of a new show?

Funny...

[mesoed]

According to a FeedBurner VP, they are working on the iTunes tags now. Keep in mind that most of the iTunes project has been kept under wraps until now. Who knows if FeedBurner or some of the other services were given this information ahead of time.

Stay tuned for some updates on this front - nothing to report just yet, but we should have some specific information re: iTunes in short order.

[ferg]

They're saying in a couple of days, which is good.
I created a manual feed for submission to iTunes, which seemed to work...I guess I'll leave it until FB gets their act together (sounds like it'll be soon), and then cut that feed off.

[TINKOFF RADIO]

I too just heard from the VP of Engineering at Feedburner - and they are hard at work on this issue and you will see it as soon as they possibly can muster. It looks like they are as interested as we are in seeing these tags integrated into Feedburner!

WOO HOO! They really listen!

So cool. Love those Feedburner guys.

Adam Tinkoff
TINKOFF RADIO

[jawbone]

Good. Anything that means less work is good for the show.

[Keeme]

I refuse to do it! The editing and all... (I did send the email).


*Sigh*

I am frustrated (this happened when I started SHOUTCASTING back in the day).

I refuse REFUSE I SAY!!!

[Keeme thinks it over and knows he will have to comply soon]

[ferg]

I don't know...
At first I was foaming at the mouth.
I got iTunes, and saw that (at that moment) there were only 8 podcasts listed under "Comedy".

I thought being in that genre for even a few hours might be valuable. Even now, there's only 25...

[kneelw]

I'm sorry, but I think this is bullshit. I love Apple and all, but to jump on the podcast bandwagon then leave Feedburner out when a majority of podcasters use it? That's stupid, and it seems to me like they're not doing the research and don't care about us "indie" podcasters, as they so affectionately call us on the iTunes store. And it will be a long day in hell before I hack my XML file or provide some separate feed just for iTunes, let me tell you. I spend way too much time trying to get our podcast up as it is.

I mean, when I first saw these new iTunes tags, I thought, "Feedburner should be doing something with this, it's what they do already." Glad to see they're aware of the issue. But I'm sitting here with a new program and I can't get my favorite shows unless I add them manually from my other podcast client 'cause they're not in the store yet. Bullshit.

Neil

[celerityfm]

I wrote to feedburner, they rock-- glad they are working on it!

I'm sorry, but I think this is bullshit. I love Apple and all, but to jump on the podcast bandwagon then leave Feedburner out when a majority of podcasters use it? That's stupid, and it seems to me like they're not doing the research and don't care about us "indie" podcasters, as they so affectionately call us on the iTunes store. And it will be a long day in hell before I hack my XML file or provide some separate feed just for iTunes, let me tell you. I spend way too much time trying to get our podcast up as it is.

I mean, when I first saw these new iTunes tags, I thought, "Feedburner should be doing something with this, it's what they do already." Glad to see they're aware of the issue. But I'm sitting here with a new program and I can't get my favorite shows unless I add them manually from my other podcast client 'cause they're not in the store yet. Bullshit.

Neil

Dude chill. Yes, its sucks but I think what happened was Apple rushed it before it was ready, for some as of yet forseen reason (probably this (http://badfruit.com/)). They originally announced it a month ago and said to expect it in 2-3 months! I mean, take a look at the documentation (http://phobos.apple.com/static/podcast_specifications.pdf), its pretty weak and its actually got some pretty serious errors (you can't get a podcast image to work if you follow their instructions). So you can tell that they weren't 100% ready for this. Plus the akamai mirroring/cache network isn't even active yet and popular podcasts are being "mac-dotted" left and right. I for one am glad that its here now, even though its not 100% ready for prime time I've been ACHING for this. Finally we've got the proper podcast reception system in place. I think Apple is making us beta test it before the ad campaigns show up and if thats the case we'll be glad they did this, rather then wait to release it and TOTALLY catch feedburner with their pants down.

Not only that, but the itunes tags are optional. Sure your podcast won't look 100% perfect without them in the directory but atleast it'll be there, and when feedburner updates the software and puts the tags in your podcast entry in the directory will be updated automatically. Rock.

And here's a tip for PODCASTS THAT ARE NOT IN THE DIRECTORY: Why don't you try dragging and dropping the rss link on your favorite shows' websites INTO the podcast section of itunes and see what happens? SURPRISE! :) They got your back man. Thats all it takes.

Peace

[jeffoest]

I'm impressed with the overall feedburner response to this in their blog and in their forums. One of their spokesman said something to the effect that they got the XML spec the same time that we all did.

Whatever, I guess. It does give a pretty good indication of where Apple sees this podcast business helping them or at least an indication of how little marketing power they believe that we 'feedburner indies' bring to Apple.

But again, the landscape may be very different in six months from now. One thing for sure - it certainly IS a fun ride and it certainly IS fun to be in the thick of it (even as a small fish! or should I say dog? and yes, he is taking a crap on our logo, darn it...).

[ferg]

Neil,

I feel your pain.
I see absolutely no reason why apple could not have let us know about the tags ahead of time. They obviously let SOME people know...so, it's not like they made the decision last second.

All of that said, I'm sure feedburner will have their solution pretty quick, but it sure would have been nice to be categorized and formatted from the getgo.

All in all, I think it looks bad for podcasting that a large chunk of us were just thrown into "audio blogs" with no artwork, no description, no nothing. May as well not be in there at all at this point.

[celerityfm]

ferg- Point. If my podcast was put in there without fist giving me the chance to properly tag it then I would be upset too. But for us on the outside we just want to be in there PERIOD. I've haxxored up my xml feed and submitted it so we'll just have to wait and see. I do feel kinda miffed that the big podcasters got advanced notice :( But then again I'm sure there was some quid pro quo going there, along with some non disclosure agreements that added up to a small cluster****. However I think it'll work itself out in the end.

As I said, its not like they are running "iTunes+podcasting" ads yet. We'll all be ready for it when that begins. We better be!

On a side note, has anyone who submitted their podcast had their podcast actually included in the directory yet? I submitted mine at around noon eastern but still haven't seen anything yet.

[kneelw]

Ferg - I did just see yours show up in the audio blogs section...what's up with that? Weird. As of now I have never been able to download anything from the store, keep getting an error saying the podcast feed is invalid or something, including the iTunes New Music Tuesdays feed. Ironic, no?

Celerityfm, just wanted to let you know that you makes some good points and I was really overreacting before. :oops: At the same time, I expected a better product from Apple. I expected something that I could ditch iPodderX for. As of right now, I'm not impressed.

Neil

[jeffoest]

I didn't necessarily expect a better product - I think this definitely has potential and just the sheer amount of numbers that the platform has is pretty intimidating. I really was (call me naive) expecting the 'API' a couple of weeks before release - not only to the podcasters but to the third parties.

I realize, like Ferg, that right now, there is really no possible way for anyone to browse podcasts and find ours as we are also buried in the 'autoblog' section with no descriptions unless you click further. So, as is, I don't expect to pick up any new listeners from this until I get a chance to add keywords and categorize myself properly (and put my loverly brady-bunch photo up lol)