Attention Profiling Mark-up Language

APML (Attention Profiling Mark-up Language) is an XML-based format for capturing a person's interests and dislikes.

Overview

APML allows people to share their own personal Attention Profile in much the same way that OPML allows the exchange of reading lists between News Readers. The idea behind APML is to compress all forms of Attention Data into a portable file format containing a description of your rated interests.

The APML Workgroup

The APML Workgroup is tasked with maintaining and refining the APML specification. The APML Workgroup is made up of industry experts and leaders and was founded by Chris Saad and Ashley Angell^[1].

The workgroup allows public recommendations and input, and actively evangelises the public’s “Attention Rights”. The workgroup also adheres to the principals of Media 2.0 Best Practices.

Services

Services that have adopted APML

Bloglines is an RSS reader. It is one of the major RSS readers on the web, with its main competitor being Google Reader. Bloglines recently announced it will support APML^[2].
Cluztr is a social network built on clicks. It allows you to share your browsing history with friends and family. It fills your APML file based on what you browse on the web.
Dandelife - Dandelife is a social network built around the telling of your life's stories. You can use Dandelife to create your own personal biography and then share that with the rest of the world.
Engagd is a webservice that helps you manage your attention profile for use around the web.
Idiomag^[3]
OpenLink Data Spaces is a Distributed Collaborative Web Application Platform, Social Network and Content Management System.
Particls alerts users about interesting information. It rates key words as you read articles that it suggests to you, as well using the APML file to filter new content based on your profile.

Specifications

Specifications at apml.org

Example

Example taken from the APML wikisite.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<APML xmlns="http://www.apml.org/apml-0.6" version="0.6" >
  <Head>
    <Title>Example APML file for apml.org</Title>
    <Generator>Written by Hand</Generator>
    <UserEmail>sample@apml.org</UserEmail>
    <DateCreated>2007-03-11T01:55:00Z</DateCreated>
  </Head>

  <Body defaultprofile="Work">
    <Profile name="Home">
      <ImplicitData>
        <Concepts>
          <Concept key="attention" value="0.99" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="content distribution" value="0.97" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="information" value="0.95" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="business" value="0.93" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="alerting" value="0.91" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="intelligent agents" value="0.89" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="development" value="0.87" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="service" value="0.85" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="user interface" value="0.83" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="experience design" value="0.81" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="site design" value="0.79" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="television" value="0.77" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="management" value="0.75" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          <Concept key="media" value="0.73" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
        </Concepts>

        <Sources>
          <Source key="http://feeds.feedburner.com/apmlspec" name="APML.org" value="1.00" type="application/rss+xml" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z">
            <Author key="Sample" value="0.5" from="GatheringTool.com" updated="2007-03-11T01:55:00Z" />
          </Source>
        </Sources>
      </ImplicitData>

      <ExplicitData>
        <Concepts>
          <Concept key="direct attention" value="0.99" />
        </Concepts>
 
       <Sources>
          <Source key="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TechCrunch" name="Techcrunch" type="application/rss+xml" value="0.4">
            <Author key="ExplicitSample" value="0.5" />
          </Source>
        </Sources>
      </ExplicitData>
    </Profile>

    <Profile name="Work">

      <ImplicitData />

      <ExplicitData>
        <Concepts>
          <Concept key="Golf" value="0.2" />
        </Concepts>

        <Sources>
          <Source key="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TechCrunch" name="Techcrunch" type="application/atom+xml" value="0.4">
            <Author key="ProfessionalBlogger" value="0.5" />
          </Source>
        </Sources>
      </ExplicitData>
    </Profile>

    <Applications>
      <Application name="sample.com">
        <SampleAppEl />
      </Application>
    </Applications>

  </Body>
</APML>

References

[1] Australian The APML Website

[2] Bloglines Blog

[3] + apml - idiomag | your music magazine

[1]

[2]

[3]