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Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

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Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#12

Post by techtruth »

bosch wrote: post #10

If Posterous wants to be a STAND UP company, they'll post information and a tool(not just XML or API) on how to migrate away FROM Posterous. Then they can go and write importers for other sites. I'm sick of all these companies talking shit but not being able to back it up when they say they're looking out for the user!

well said

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#14

Post by techtruth »

radicaldreamer wrote: post #11

For the record: Posterous API allows 100% access to your data on Posterous. Users own their content and are free to move. -Sachin Agarwal ( http://bit.ly/9MYzfP ) What hypocrisy?

Can normal users know how to use this API? Why don't you give a button which says export my posts to a text file or something else.

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#15

Post by a4agarwal »

techtruth wrote: post #3
benwr wrote: post #2

As far as I'm aware, Posterous has done nothing to actively discourage migration of information away from their service, and they certainly haven't threatened legal action on anyone for moving their online information around.

I am simply asking Posterous to take moral high ground. Give a feature where people can export their posts in standard data formats. then go ahead and target your competitors.

techtruth, we do offer your data in standard formats: XML through our API. See:

http://posterous.com/api/reading

What exactly are you looking for? We're open to suggestions and will gladly expand our API to keep Posterous open and flexible.

There's no hypocrisy here. Our goal is to let users move into and out of posterous at will, and use whatever service they find to be best.

Thanks!

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#16

Post by a4agarwal »

techtruth wrote: post #14
radicaldreamer wrote: post #11

For the record: Posterous API allows 100% access to your data on Posterous. Users own their content and are free to move. -Sachin Agarwal ( http://bit.ly/9MYzfP ) What hypocrisy?

Can normal users know how to use this API? Why don't you give a button which says export my posts to a text file or something else.

and what will a normal user do with that text file?

We find it much more effective to have an API that other people (like you) can use to write an exporter to whatever other service they wish.

Maybe you should just write a Posterous exporter using our API, instead of complaining. Just let me know if you need any help!

thanks

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#17

Post by cookiecaper »

techtruth wrote: post #14
radicaldreamer wrote: post #11

For the record: Posterous API allows 100% access to your data on Posterous. Users own their content and are free to move. -Sachin Agarwal ( http://bit.ly/9MYzfP ) What hypocrisy?

Can normal users know how to use this API? Why don't you give a button which says export my posts to a text file or something else.

Because what are you going to import that file into? Everything needs a custom import format. Making the API available makes it easy for someone to write something that exports to the format needed. Do you think Posterous should host a different file that allows easy importing for all of its competitors? If the competitors care, they can make a tool that imports into the format they desire. Likewise, if a user just wants a text file of their contributions, they are free to obtain one. Someone could write these tools and publish them, but it's a little over the top to expect Posterous to write an exporter for everyone else's custom formats.

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#18

Post by a4agarwal »

bosch wrote: post #10

If Posterous wants to be a STAND UP company, they'll post information and a tool(not just XML or API) on how to migrate away FROM Posterous. Then they can go and write importers for other sites. I'm sick of all these companies talking shit but not being able to back it up when they say they're looking out for the user!

Ok here you go:

http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/posterous-importer/

There's information and a direct link to a plugin that lets you export your site out of Posterous to Wordpress.

We think we're a better service than they are, but we aren't afraid of data portability. Users can switch as much as they want and choose the best service

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#19

Post by a4agarwal »

cookiecaper wrote: post #17
techtruth wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can normal users know how to use this API? Why don't you give a button which says export my posts to a text file or something else.

Because what are you going to import that file into? Everything needs a custom import format. Making the API available makes it easy for someone to write something that exports to the format needed. Do you think Posterous should host a different file that allows easy importing for all of its competitors? If the competitors care, they can make a tool that imports into the format they desire. Likewise, if a user just w…

thanks! well said.

Re: Posterous - Beacon of Data Portability

#20

Post by jackowayed »

steveklabnik wrote: post #5

I was actually considering making such a tool, because I'm pretty sure that I'm moving away from Posterous in the near future. I'm sure if I do, I'll put it up on GitHub. The biggest concern I have is not only getting the content of posts, but being able to make a .htaccess with redirects so that I don't lose my google juice.

Just wondering, why are you leaving Posterous, and to what do you want to switch?
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