20 Mar 2006

NewsMac Pro

I noted the following thing:

  • Integrated Browser - the Client comes with an integrated web-browser. Each page is represented in a new tab;
  • Podcast Player - there is an integrated podcast player;
  • Filter - Subscriptions can be filtered: unread, new, flagged;
  • Flags - the Client can flag Items based on words in the title;
  • Find Similar - this will locale similar Items in the library. Not sure what the heuristics behind this is;
  • Smart Group - the idea of smart groups is interesting. This can only work when there is enough metadata for Lists, which is the case for RSS and/or Atom;
  • Remote Groups - the Client recognises a remote group. One can see the Lists (feeds) and Items from a Bloglines account;
Supported MicroContent Type(s): Blogs
Rating: 47 out of 90 points (checklist 1.4) • Developer: Think Mac Software Version: 1.2.4 •

Checklist:
  • MicroContent (7/10) - to what degree does the client support MicroContent Items?
    • Structure - YES, standard blog structure. Not all information in the structure is readily available;
    • Multiplicity - YES. I assume that the various RSS and Atom feeds contain different fields;
    • Flexibility - NO, not relevant here;
    • MicroWeb - YES, a blog Item might contain images;
    • Pick-list fields - NO;
    • Merged - NO, not relevant;
    • Title - YES;
    • Description - YES;
    • Tags - YES, one can add tags on the subscription level;
    • Rating - YES, the user can add a rating to a subscription/feed;

  • Interface (6/10) - does the client have the characteristic layout?
    • View-pane - YES;
    • View-pane Styles - YES;
    • View-pane Window - NO;
    • Items-pane - YES;
    • Items-pane Views - NO, only a tabular format is available;
    • Items-pane Sorting - YES;
    • Items-pane Fields - NO;
    • Lists-pane - YES;
    • Browser-pane - NO;
    • Pane layout change - YES, one can chose from a compact widescreen, traditional and combined view;

  • Item functions (5/10) - An Item is called a Headline.
    • View - YES, although not all field information is readily available;
    • Create - NO;
    • Edit - NO;
    • Mark - YES, the Client checks whether a user has seen an Item. And a user can bookmark an Item;
    • Search - YES, channel name, metadata or headlines;
    • Access Control - NO;
    • Duplicate Control - NO;
    • Delete - NO;
    • Persistence - YES, one can set a retaining period for all subscriptions;
    • Downloading - YES, one can specify whether an enclosure must be downloaded or not;

  • List functions (10/17)
    • Local Lists - NO;
    • Connected Lists - NO;
    • Shared Lists - NO;
    • Remote Lists - YES, these are either RSS or Atom feeds. They are called Channels in this app;
    • Handpicked Lists - NO, the contents of each List is set by the author of the List;
    • Smart Lists - NO;
    • Recommendation Lists - YES, there is a find similar Items function;
    • List Metadata - YES, this is the information on the feed;
    • Statistics - YES, the Client shows the number of unread Items in a List;
    • Directory - YES, a list/group with possible feeds is available in a separate window;
    • Add - YES;
    • Edit - YES;
    • Remove - NO;
    • Show - NO, not relevant for this MicroContent type;
    • Backup/revert - YES;
    • Refresh - YES;
    • Delete - YES;

  • Group functions (6/9) - does the Client support groups?
    • Unlimited Depth - NO, it has just single depth;
    • Local Groups - YES;
    • Connected Groups - YES, one can see the subscriptions in Safari, NetNewsWire or NewsFire as separate groups;
    • Shared Groups - NO;
    • Remote Groups - YES, one can get the Items and subscriptions from Bloglines;
    • Handpicked Groups - NO;
    • Smart Groups - YES, logic based on channel metadata;
    • Recommendation Groups - NO;
    • Directory - YES, combined with the Lists;
    • Add - YES;
    • Edit - YES, the name can be edited;
    • Delete - YES;

  • Import (2/6) - does the client allow for importing Items?
    • Classic - NO, not relevant for this MicroContent Type;
    • Standards - YES, an OPML-file;
    • Proprietary - NO;
    • Applications - YES, one can import feeds from Safari and other NewsReaders;
    • Bookmarklet - NO;
    • Drag&drop - NO;

  • Export (4/14) - does the client allow for exporting Items?
    • Classic - NO;
    • Standard - NO;
    • Proprietary - NO;
    • HTML - YES, Items can be exported (saved) as HTML-files;
    • Print - YES;
    • Feeds - NO;
    • Local - NO, however a directory can be exported as OPML-file;
    • Connected - YES, one can synchronise with a iPod;
    • Shared - NO;
    • Remote: .Mac - NO;
    • Remote: FTP - NO;
    • Remote: RPC - NO;
    • Drag&drop - NO;
    • Application - NO;

  • MacOSX (7/15) - is the client a good MacOSX application?
    • Look&Feel - YES;
    • Menu - YES;
    • Toolbar - NO;
    • Alt-click - YES, although ho feedback is given;
    • Ctrl-click - YES;
    • Drag&drop - YES, for adding subscriptions to folders;
    • Services - NO;
    • Dock - YES, for viewing the items in a subscription. users can add subscriptions to the dock;
    • Spotlight - NO;
    • Dashboard - NO;
    • AppleScript - NO, although the generic dictionary is available;
    • Framework - NO;
    • Menu bar - NO;
    • Plug-ins - YES, I assume that one can add new themes;
    • Language - NO, just English (I did see French localisation mentioned though);


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