In Part 1 of this book, we look at how to recombine information without resorting to formal programming techniques. There is much that can be done by carefully examining various web applications from the perspective of an end user looking for integrative opportunities. In Chapter 1, we’ll study in detail several specific mashups to get you oriented to mashups and to some general themes that we will continually revisit throughout the book. In Chapter 2, we’ll analyze Flickr, a remix platform par excellence that we’ll study throughout the book, comparing and contrasting it with other remixable platforms, including del.icio.us, Google Maps, and Amazon.com. Chapter 3 shows how user-generated tags are used in Flickr, del.icio.us, and Technorati and discusses how to create interesting tag-centric mashups. Chapter 4 discusses RSS and Atom feeds, perhaps the most widespread dialect of XML, as both a potent technology for sharing information across the Web and as a specific way to learn about XML. Finally, Chapter 5 uses Flickr’s integration with weblogs as a jumping-off point for exploring weblogs and wikis and their programmability. Part 1 lays the foundation for the rest of the book, which teaches you how to programmatically create mashups.
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