Techniques to automatically syndicate content over a network

Techniques to automatically syndicate content over a network are described. An apparatus may comprise a client computer having a processing system with a processor and computer-readable medium. The computer readable medium may store program instructions for a syndication manager component communicatively coupled to a content producing component arranged to be executed by the processor. The syndication manager component may be operative to receive syndication content from the content producing component, and provide a syndication dialog through the content producing component to syndicate the syndication content using a content delivery platform. The syndication manager component may also syndicate the syndication content to form a syndication resource accessible from the content delivery platform over a network using a syndication referent. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

BACKGROUND

Web syndication is a form of syndication in which website material is made available to multiple other sites. Most commonly, web syndication refers to making web feeds available from a site in order to provide other people with a summary of the website's recently added content, such as the latest news or forum posts. Syndication benefits both the websites providing information and the websites displaying it. For the receiving site, content syndication is an effective way of adding greater depth and immediacy of information to its pages, making it more attractive to users. For the transmitting site, syndication drives exposure across numerous online platforms. This generates new traffic for the transmitting site, thereby making syndication a free and easy form of advertisement. Syndicating content, however, is typically a complicated process that forces a user to engage in multiple manual operations, sometimes across multiple applications and devices. This complexity potentially limits accessibility and usefulness of syndicating content over a network. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques to automatically perform syndication. Some embodiments are particularly directed to enhanced syndication techniques to automatically manage syndication of content for distribution and access across multiple online platforms.

In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a client computer having a processing system. The processing system may comprise, among other elements, a processor and some form of memory or computer-readable medium. The computer readable medium may store program instructions for a syndication manager component communicatively coupled to a content producing component arranged to be executed by the processor. The syndication manager component may be operative to receive syndication content from the content producing component, and provide a syndication dialog through the content producing component to syndicate the syndication content using a content delivery platform. The syndication manager component may also syndicate the syndication content to form a syndication resource accessible from the content delivery platform over a network using a syndication referent. The syndication referent may then be published online, and used to access the syndication resource stored by the content delivery platform. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are directed to enhanced syndication techniques to automatically manage syndication of content for distribution and access across multiple online platforms. The enhanced syndication techniques may be implemented using a single integrated application to make content available for syndication. The single integrated application may also provide a syndication referent to access the syndicated content stored on a network accessible device. In particular, the enhanced syndication techniques may be implemented as part of an application program used to retrieve, generate, store or manage syndication content, thereby allowing a content producer to syndicate the syndication content without having to leave the context provided by the application program. The enhanced syndication techniques may also automate and simplify some or all of the operations needed to syndicate content, which are typically performed manually across different threads, processes or devices. As a result, the embodiments can improve affordability, scalability, modularity, extendibility, or interoperability for an operator, device or network.

FIG. 1illustrates a block diagram for a system100to syndicate content for dissemination across multiple online platforms. In one embodiment, for example, the system100may comprise a computer-implemented system100having multiple components110,130. As used herein the terms “system” and “component” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, comprising either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be implemented as a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive, multiple storage drives (of optical and/or magnetic storage medium and/or semiconductor), an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers as desired for a given implementation. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the system100may be implemented as part of an electronic device. Examples of an electronic device may include without limitation a mobile device, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a cellular telephone, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messaging device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a handheld computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, a mini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a network appliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system, multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics, programmable consumer electronics, television, digital television, set top box, vehicle communications system, vehicle entertainment system, home entertainment system, video games, gaming system, wireless access point, base station, subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio network controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, or combination thereof. Although the system100as shown inFIG. 1has a limited number of elements in a certain topology, it may be appreciated that the system100may include more or less elements in alternate topologies as desired for a given implementation.

The components110,130may be communicatively coupled via various types of communications media. The components110,130may coordinate operations between each other. The coordination may involve the uni-directional or bi-directional exchange of information. For instance, the components110,130may communicate information in the form of signals communicated over the communications media. The information can be implemented as signals allocated to various signal lines. In such allocations, each message is a signal. Further embodiments, however, may alternatively employ data messages. Such data messages may be sent across various connections. Exemplary connections include parallel interfaces, serial interfaces, and bus interfaces.

In one embodiment, the system100may be implemented as part of a client computer or a server system, each having a processing system with a processor106and a computer-readable medium, such as memory108. The memory108may store program instructions for a content producing component110, and a syndication manager component130communicatively coupled to the content producing component110. The components110,130may be arranged for execution by the processor106.

The content producing component110may generally comprise any software program arranged to retrieve, generate or manage any form of multimedia content for a content producer. In one embodiment, the content producing component110may comprise a productivity application program, such as from among a suite of stand-alone or interrelated productivity application programs offered as part of MICROSOFT® OFFICE made by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, Redmond, Wash. Examples of MICROSOFT OFFICE productivity application programs may include without limitation MICROSOFT WORD, EXCEL®, POWERPOINT®, OUTLOOK®, PUBLISHER, ACCESS®, INFOPATH®, GROOVE®, ONENOTE®, COMMUNICATOR, VISIO®, and so forth. In one embodiment, the content producing component110may comprise a content management system (CMS) used to create, edit, manage, and publish content in a consistently organized fashion. The embodiments are not limited, however, to these examples.

The content producing component110may be used to retrieve, generate or manage content for a content producer. A content producer may comprise, for example, an operator or user that retrieves, generates or produces syndication content102. Additionally or alternatively, the content producer does not have to be a human being, but can be an automated system. Content production and syndication may be fully or partially automated. For example, the syndication manager component130may have an API to be used in an automated manner.

The syndication content102may comprise any form of multimedia content suitable for syndication, such as electronic documents (e.g., application documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.), references, referents, objects, images, pictures, files, video files, audio files, media files, text, symbols, items, data, metadata, hyperlinks, and so forth. For example, a content producer may use a word processing program to generate syndication content in the form of some or all of a word processing document, or a spreadsheet program to generate syndication content in the form of some or all of a spreadsheet document, and so forth. In other examples, a content producer may retrieve the syndication content102such as documents stored by a data store. The data store may comprise, for example, a remote data store (e.g., online server) or a local data store (e.g., hard drive or flash memory). It is worthy to note that while some embodiments may provide mechanisms to designate all of the syndication content102for syndication, other embodiments may allow for designation of certain select portions of the syndication content102for syndication.

The syndication manager component130may generally comprise any software program arranged to automatically syndicate content to a content delivery platform. Syndication may generally refer to delivering content, for free or at a cost, to one or more subscribers. When used in the context of electronic data communications, such as over a public network (e.g., the Internet) or a private network (e.g., an intranet), syndication may be sometimes referred to as web syndication. Web syndication is a form of syndication in which website material is made available to multiple other sites. Most commonly, web syndication refers to making web feeds available from a site in order to provide other people with a summary of the website's recently added content, such as the latest news or forum posts. Syndication benefits both the websites providing information and the websites displaying it. For the receiving site, content syndication is an effective way of adding greater depth and immediacy of information to its pages, making it more attractive to users. For the transmitting site, syndication drives exposure across numerous online platforms. This generates new traffic for the transmitting site, thereby making syndication a free and easy form of advertisement. This also provides various benefits to the user, such as marketing, convenience, public exposure, and so forth.

Web syndication may be implemented using different web syndication formats. The web syndication formats may include any formats suitable for transport over a given network using a given set of communications protocols. Examples of various web syndication formats may include without limitation a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document, Javascript, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) web feed, Atom Syndication Format, Silverlight/XAML, or links to such documents and other kinds of digital media. The web syndication formats may be transported using any communications protocols suitable for a given network, such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Atom Publishing Protocol, or variant for a public network such as the Internet.

One example of a web syndication format is a web feed or news feed. A web feed is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is typically performed by an Internet aggregator. A web feed is also sometimes referred to as a syndicated feed. In the typical scenario of using web feeds, a content provider publishes a feed link on their site which end users can register with an aggregator program (also called a feed reader or a news reader) running on their own machines. The registration may be as simple as dragging a link from the web browser to the aggregator. When instructed, the aggregator asks all the servers in its feed list if they have new content, and if so, the aggregator either makes a note of the new content or downloads it. Aggregators can be scheduled to check for new content periodically. Web feeds are an example of pull technology, although they may appear to push content to the user. The kinds of content delivered by a web feed are typically webpage content. Often when websites provide web feeds to notify users of content updates, they only include summaries in the web feed rather than the full content itself. Web feeds are operated by many news websites, weblogs (blogs), schools, and podcasters.

Syndicating content, however, is typically a complicated process that forces a user to engage in multiple manual operations, such as signing up for a content delivery platform, performing authentication operations, requesting syndication of specific content, and so forth. For example, conventional syndication techniques cause a user to create an account with an online service that provides for syndication of content. The user then needs to authenticate her identity with the online service, publish the content to the online service, and enable syndication of the content in the online service. These syndication operations are typically perform manually by a user, and can sometimes necessitate the use of different threads, processes or machines. For example, a user may need to generate content with one application, switch to a web browser to access an online service, switch back to the application to upload to the online service, interact with the online service to configure syndication parameters for the content, and so forth. This may be tedious and confusing for a user. This process is further exacerbated when a user desires to publish the syndicated content in a different online service, such as a blog service for updating and publishing content for a blog. As such, this potentially limits accessibility and usefulness of syndication and/or publication techniques.

The system100is designed to solve these and other problems. In various embodiments, the syndication manager component130of the system100implements various types of enhanced syndication techniques designed to automate many of the manual operations typically necessary for syndicating content. The syndication manager component130may be implemented as a stand-alone software program interoperable with the content producing component110, as an integrated part of the content producing component110, or a set of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) accessible by the content producing component110. The embodiments are not limited, however, to these exemplary implementations.

The syndication manager component130may syndicate content using any suitable online syndication service, such as provided by a content delivery platform, a content delivery network or a content distribution network. A content delivery platform may comprise appropriate hardware and/or software to implement a syndication service, with the syndication service arranged to syndicate the syndication content102for access by multiple online platforms. The syndication content102as stored by the content delivery platform (e.g., as a syndication resource), may be accessed online through a network, such as by a computer with a web browser. A content delivery platform may be implemented as part of a server executing various types of server applications, such as a web server providing web services available over a network. In one embodiment, for example, a content delivery platform may be implemented as a Software as a Service (SaaS) content service, similar to a content management system (CMS), that utilizes embedded software code to deliver web content. Instead of the installation of software on client servers, a content delivery platform feeds content through embedded code snippets, typically via a JavaScript widget, Flash widget or server-side Ajax (programming). A content delivery platform is utilized for all types of web content, even text-based content. Additionally or alternatively, a content delivery platform can be utilized to import a variety of syndicated content into one central location and then re-purposed for web syndication. Examples of content delivery platforms may include without limitation MICROSOFT OFFICE LIVE WORKSPACE, WINDOWS LIVE™, WINDOWS LIVE SPACES, and so forth. The embodiments are not limited, however, to these examples.

In general operation, the syndication manager component130may be operative to receive syndication content102from the content producing component110. The syndication manager component130may provide a syndication dialog through the content producing component110to syndicate the syndication content102using a content delivery platform. The syndication manager component130may also syndicate the syndication content102to form a syndication resource accessible from the content delivery platform over a network using a syndication referent120.

The syndication referent120may comprise part of a relationship or association between objects. In particular, the syndication referent120may be used to provide access to the syndication content102from a content delivery platform. When the syndicated content102is stored and ready for delivery by the content delivery platform, the syndicated content102may sometimes be referred to herein as a syndicated resource. The syndication referent120may represent a link to the syndication resource accessible from the content delivery platform. Examples for the syndication referent120may include without limitation a uniform resource identifier (URI), a uniform resource locator (URL), a uniform resource name (URN), executable software code (e.g., HTML or XML code), a hyperlink, or any combination thereof. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, the syndication referent120may be generated by the system100or a content delivery platform. In the former case, the syndication manager component130may generate the syndication referent120sometime during interactive syndication operations with a content delivery platform, and deliver the syndication referent120to the content producing component110and the content delivery platform. In the latter case, a content delivery platform may generate the syndication referent120, and forward the syndication referent120to the syndication manager component130, which transfers the syndication referent120to the content producing component110.

The syndication manager component130may also be operative to receive a control directive104from a content producer (via an input device) to initiate a syndication dialog delivered through the content producing component110. The syndication dialog may be designed to present information related to syndication operations in a manner that guides the content producer through the various options available for syndicating the syndication content102. The syndication dialog may also prompt a content producer for certain information needed to perform syndication of the syndication content102, such as creating or selecting a content delivery platform or a particular operator account for a content delivery platform. The syndication dialog may also be designed to receive commands, control directives and other inputs from the content producer, and forward the user inputs to the appropriate components, application and devices. The syndication dialog may be generated natively by the content producing component110, by the syndication manager component130and delivered through the content producing component110, or by a content delivery platform and delivered through the components110,130.

The syndication manager component130may present the syndication dialog to access a content delivery platform through the content producing component110. In this manner, a content producer may use the same user interface tools, context, and operating environment as the content producing component110, thereby reducing the need to utilize different applications to syndicate the syndication content102. By way of contrast, conventional techniques typically force a content producer to utilize a separate network interface, such as a web browser, to access some or all of the features offered by a content delivery platform. By implementing enhanced syndication techniques within a single application and not through a web browser, the syndication manager component130allows the content producing component110to offer a more integrated and seamless mechanism for syndicating the syndication content102, thereby decreasing complexity and increasing ease-of-use for the content producer.

The syndication manager component130may generate an operator account for the content producer that is associated with a content delivery platform for use in syndicating the syndication content102by the content delivery platform. Additionally or alternatively, the syndication manager component130may receive a control directive104to select an existing operator account for the content producer associated with a content delivery platform when the operator account has already been generated. Although some embodiments are described using an operator account for syndication, it may be appreciated that syndication may be performed using a shared network location that does not need an operator account.

The syndication manager component130may be further operative to perform authentication operations to access the content delivery platform through the content producing component110. Many online services, including content delivery platforms, implementing security procedures such as authentication procedures designed to establish or confirm an identity for a subscriber to the online services. This may include, for example, a login name and a security password. The authentication operations are typically performed using a web browser. The syndication manager component130, however, may be designed to perform authentication operations for a content delivery platform from within the content producing component110, thereby allowing a content producer to remain within the context of the content producing component110. This may reduce confusion and complexity for the content producer. Additionally or alternatively, the syndication manager component130may automatically perform the appropriate authentication operations for a given content delivery platform, such as automatically retrieving a login name and password from a secure location, and providing the login name and the security password to the content delivery platform to authenticate the content producer.

The syndication manager component130may be further operative to translate the syndication content102from a first format to a second format suitable for syndication by a given content delivery platform. The syndication content102may have various types of display formats, some of which may be incompatible with a content delivery platform. In such cases, the syndication manager component130may translate the syndication content102to the appropriate display format used by the content delivery platform. For example, a word processing document may be converted between different word processing formats suitable for different word processing programs, a spreadsheet document may be converted between different spreadsheet formats for different spreadsheet programs, a document may be converted to an image file (e.g., PNG, TIFF, PDF), and so forth. A content delivery platform may also use different web syndication formats. The syndication manager component130may translate the syndication content102to the appropriate web syndication format used by the content delivery platform. For example, the syndication content102may be translated between an HTML document and an XML document, or between a format suitable for a RSS web feed and a format suitable for an Atom web feed. Any number of formats for any number of content producing applications and/or content delivery platforms may be supported by the syndication manager component130as desired for a given implementation. It may be appreciated that these translation operations may be performed by the syndication manager component130, or the content delivery platform. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 2illustrates a block diagram of a system200to syndicate and publish content for dissemination across multiple online platforms. The system200may be similar to the system100, and may further comprise a publishing component210and a data store for various syndication control parameters220.

In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the publishing component210may be communicatively coupled to the content producing component110and the syndication manager component130. The publishing component210may be operative to publish the syndication referent120using a publishing application executed by a server computer. The publishing application may comprise any online service suitable for publishing content. For example, the publishing application may comprise a web site hosting a weblog (blog). The publishing component210may automatically publish the syndication referent120to the publication application. For example, an entity may cause sales figures to be syndicated at defined time intervals (e.g., weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, a content producer may use control directives104to cause the publishing component210to publish the syndication reference120to the publication application, such as using cut-and-paste tools, drag-and-drop tools, and other graphical user interface (GUI) tools for moving or transferring information between threads, processes or machines.

The syndication manager component130may be operative to send syndication control parameters220to control syndication operations performed by the content delivery platform from the content producing component110to the content delivery platform. The syndication control parameters220may control how the syndication content102is syndicated by the content delivery platform. For example, the syndication control parameters220may include a syndication portion identifier representing how much of the syndication content102(all or portions) should actually be syndicated. In another example, the syndication control parameters220may include other parameters for control a level of interactivity, sizing, display, effects, and so forth. In yet another example, the syndication control parameters220may be designed to affect the syndication content102, such as setting a parameter in an Excel workbook during the syndication dialog.

FIG. 3illustrates a block diagram of a distributed system300. The distributed system300may distribute portions of the structure and/or operations for the systems100,200across multiple computing entities. Examples of distributed system300may include without limitation a client-server architecture, a 3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled or clustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slave architecture, a shared database architecture, and other types of distributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In one embodiment, for example, the distributed system300may be implemented as a client-server system. A client system310may implement, among other elements, the system100. A server system330may implement, among other elements, a content delivery platform332. The content delivery platform332may further include a syndication resource334. A server system340may implement, among other elements, a publication application342. The publication application342may further include the syndication referent120.

The client system310and the respective server systems330,340may communicate with each over respective communications media320-1,320-2using respective communications signals322-1,322-2. In one embodiment, for example, the communications media320-1,320-2may comprise wired or wireless communications media. In one embodiment, the communications signals322-1may comprise syndication messages having syndication information and communicated between the syndication manager component130and the content delivery platform332. For example, the syndication messages may include control directives for the content delivery platform332, the syndication content102, one or more syndication control parameters222, and so forth. In one embodiment, the communications signals322-2may comprise publishing messages having publishing information and communicated between the publishing component210and the publication application342. For example, the publishing messages may include control directives for the publication application342, the syndication referent120, and so forth.

In one embodiment, the content delivery platform332may receive the syndication content102, and store the syndication content102as a syndication resource334by the content delivery platform332. The content delivery platform332and/or the syndication manager component130may optionally translate the syndication content102between different formats, such as display formats, web syndication formats, and so forth. The syndication resource334may be accessed by other electronic devices using the syndication referent120, or other reference techniques.

FIG. 4illustrates a block diagram of a centralized system400. The centralized system400may implement all of the structure and/or operations for the systems100,200in a single computing entity. In one embodiment, for example, the centralized system400may implement the structure and/or operations for the systems100,200entirely within a single computing device.

Operations for the above-described embodiments may be further described with reference to one or more logic flows. It may be appreciated that the representative logic flows do not necessarily have to be executed in the order presented, or in any particular order, unless otherwise indicated. Moreover, various activities described with respect to the logic flows can be executed in serial or parallel fashion. The logic flows may be implemented using one or more hardware elements and/or software elements of the described embodiments or alternative elements as desired for a given set of design and performance constraints. For example, the logic flows may be implemented as logic (e.g., computer program instructions) for execution by a logic device (e.g., a general-purpose or specific-purpose computer).

FIG. 5illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow500. The logic flow500may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein, such as the systems100,200.

In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIG. 5, the logic flow500may receive syndication content from a content producing component arranged for execution by a client computer at block502. For example, the client system300may include the system100comprising the content producing component110and the syndication manager component130. A content producer may use the content producing component110to retrieve the syndication content102from a local data store or a remote data store. The content producer may also use the content producing component110to generate the syndication content102. The syndication manager component130may receive the syndication content102from the content producing component110.

The logic flow500may provide a syndication dialog through the content producing component to syndicate the syndication content using a content delivery platform at block504. For example, the content producer may desire to syndicate the syndication content102. The content producer may utilize a GUI for the content producing component110to send control directives104to the content producing component110to initiate operations for the syndication manager component130. The syndication manager component130may provide a syndication dialog through the content producing component110to initiate syndication operations needed to syndicate the syndication content102using the content delivery platform332. The syndication dialog may request information from the content producer to interact with the content delivery platform332, and convey the information to the content delivery platform332on behalf of the content producer and the content producing component110.

The logic flow500may syndicate the syndication content to form a syndication resource accessible from the content delivery platform over a network using a syndication referent at block506. For example, the syndication manager component130may syndicate the syndication content102to form the syndication resource334accessible from the content delivery platform332over a network (e.g., media320-1,320-2) using the syndication referent120. For example, a viewing user may activate the syndication referent120(e.g., select and click) to retrieve, access or view the syndication resource334. The syndication manager component130, or the content delivery platform332, may do some work to make the syndication content102to make it more suitable for syndication, such as generating HTML, JavaScript, XAML, resizing objects, and so forth.

In addition to automatically syndicating the syndication content102to the content delivery platform332, the syndication manager component130may use a syndication dialog to modify the syndication content102stored by the content delivery platform332as the syndication resource334. For instance, the modifying operations may include republishing the syndication content102to the content delivery platform332, updating the syndication content102stored by the content delivery platform332, or remove some or all of the syndication content102from the content delivery platform332.

FIG. 6illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow600. The logic flow600may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. In particular, the logic flow600may provide an exemplary implementation for syndication and publication operations performed by the systems100,200,300or400.

In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIG. 6, the logic flow600may begin with a content producer opening the syndication content102, such as a spreadsheet document at block602.

The logic flow600may provide a syndication dialog via the syndication manager component130from within a context for the content producing application110at block604. For example, the content producer may send a control directive104via an input device to select a menu option to “Syndicate Content” provided by the syndication dialog. The syndication dialog may interactively lead the content producer through syndication operations with a content delivery platform, including discovering operator accounts and content delivery platforms, creating operator accounts, performing security operations such as authentication for a content producer or device, setting certain syndication features or options provided by a content delivery platform, designating whether some or all of the syndication content102is to be syndicated, transferring the syndication content102from the content producing component110to the content delivery platform332, syndicating or publishing the syndication content102(e.g., as a part of a web feed), managing the syndication referent120for the syndication content102, publishing the syndication referent120for others to access (via push or pull techniques) the syndication content102(stored as syndication resource334), and any other syndication operations typically performed for syndicating content to an online syndication service.

The logic flow600may determine whether the content producer is already signed into a single operator account at diamond606. A single operator account may comprise a sign-on service (or other unified account management technique) that allows the content producer to log into multiple websites using a single operator account. An example of a single sign-on service may comprise a WINDOWS LIVE™ ID account. When the content producer is already signed into a single operator account, a determination is made regarding whether the single operator account is associated with one or more content delivery platforms332at diamond608. When the single operator account is associated with one or more content delivery platforms332, the content producer may select an operator account for a content delivery platform332. When the single operator account is not associated with one or more content delivery platforms332, the syndication dialog may automatically create an operator account for a content delivery platform332at block614.

The logic flow600may determine that the content producer is not signed into a single operator account at diamond606. When there is an existing single operator account, the syndication dialog may automatically provide login information to the existing single operator account, or solicit login information from the content producer and provide the login information to the existing single operator account, at block610. When there is no existing single operator account for the content producer, the syndication dialog may automatically create a single operator account for the content producer, or solicit operator information from the content producer and provide the operator information to the single sign-on service to create the single operator account for the content producer, at block610.

The logic flow600may receive a control directive104representing whether the content producer desires to create a new operator account for the content delivery platform332, or select an existing operator account for the content delivery platform332, at diamond612. The control directive104may cause the syndication manager component130to create a new operator account for the content delivery platform332at block614, and select the created operator account for the content delivery platform332at block616. The control directive104may alternatively cause the syndication manager component130to skip operator account generation and go directly to selecting an existing operator account for the content delivery platform332at block616.

The logic flow600may receive a control directive104to syndicate one or more syndication content102at diamond620. This may include, among other syndication operations, transferring the syndication content102from the client system310to the server system330, as well as transferring one or more syndication control parameters220to control syndication of the syndication content102. For instance, a syndication control parameter220may indicate which portions of the syndication content102are to be syndicated. It may be appreciated that file transfer operations may be performed in a background mode while the content producer selects syndication features offered by the content delivery platform332for purposes of time efficiency. This may be particularly desirable when the syndication content102comprises larger sets of data. Once the content delivery platform332receives the syndication content102and any syndication control parameters220, it may perform any necessary file translation or file conversions to form the syndication resource334, store the syndication resource334in a network accessible manner, send out any notifications to subscribers to the syndication resource334, and otherwise complete the syndication process. The content delivery platform332may then send the syndication referent120for the syndication resource334to the syndication manager component130.

Additionally or alternatively, it may be appreciated that any file translations or file conversions may occur before, during or after syndication. For instance, the content delivery platform332may perform such operations after receiving a request to access the syndication resource334, or the content delivery platform332may send the syndication resource334to another host (such as Office Live) that when executed causes the host to translate the document into something readable by the web browser (e.g., like HTML, etc.).

When the control directive104provides for syndicating only one set of syndication content102at block620, the syndication manager component130may syndicate the one set of syndication content102with the content delivery platform332to form the syndication resource334stored by the content delivery platform332of the server system300. The content delivery platform332may then return a single syndication referent120referencing the syndication resource334at block622. When the control directive104provides for syndicating multiple sets of syndication content102at diamond620, the syndication manager component130may syndicate the multiple sets of syndication content102with the content delivery platform332to form multiple syndication resources334stored by the content delivery platform332of the server system330. The content delivery platform332may then return multiple syndication referents120referencing the respective syndication resources334at block624.

Once the syndication manager component130receives the one or more syndication referents120, the syndication manager component130forwards the syndication referents120to the publishing component210. The publishing component210may send the syndication referents120to the publication application342of the server system340at block626. The publication application342may publish the syndication referents120as part of a publication, such as a blog. Users may then access the one or more syndication resources334using the one or more syndication referents120. For example, a user may utilize a computer and a web browser to access a web page with a blog presenting the syndication referents120. The user may activate one or more syndication referents120to view any corresponding syndication resources334.

In various embodiments, the syndication manager component130(and syndication referent120) can be accessed programmatically and thus syndication through a client can be automated. Furthermore, the syndication manager component130may comprise a pluggable syndication manager component that allows a vendor or a third party to add syndication features or other enhanced capabilities for various content delivery platforms. In addition, the syndication manager component130(and the syndication referent120) can automatically publish the syndication content102to a publication application or platform, such as a user's personal page or community page (e.g., MySpace, Facebook, etc.), without the user necessarily being required to actually insert the syndication referent120(e.g., a URL) into the publication application or platform. The syndicated content102may immediately show up on a user's page without any further work from the user. It is worthy to further note that the syndication dialog may be used to generate an operator account for the content delivery platform332, or an operator account for another system, such as a single sign-on account (e.g., from Office Live). In some cases, the content delivery platform332may not support operator accounts (e.g., a non-profit or free service), in which case the operator account operations may be omitted. Finally, the syndication manager component130may allow a user to specify which portions of the syndication content102to actually syndicate.

FIG. 7illustrates an embodiment of an exemplary computing architecture700suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. The computing architecture700includes various common computing elements, such as one or more processors, co-processors, memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimedia input/output (I/O) components, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the computing architecture700.

As shown inFIG. 7, the computing architecture700comprises a processing unit704, a system memory706and a system bus708. The processing unit704can be any of various commercially available processors. Dual microprocessors and other multi-processor architectures may also be employed as the processing unit704. The system bus708provides an interface for system components including, but not limited to, the system memory706to the processing unit704. The system bus708can be any of several types of bus structure that may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures.

The computer702may include various types of computer-readable storage media, including an internal hard disk drive (HDD)714, a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD)716to read from or write to a removable magnetic disk718, and an optical disk drive720to read from or write to a removable optical disk722(e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD). The HDD714, FDD716and optical disk drive720can be connected to the system bus708by a HDD interface724, an FDD interface726and an optical drive interface728, respectively. The HDD interface724for external drive implementations can include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies.

The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatile and/or nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For example, a number of program modules can be stored in the drives and memory units710,712, including an operating system730, one or more application programs732, other program modules734, and program data736. The one or more application programs732, other program modules734, and program data736can include, for example, the various elements and components of the systems100,200.

A user can enter commands and information into the computer702through one or more wire/wireless input devices, for example, a keyboard738and a pointing device, such as a mouse740. Other input devices may include a microphone, an infra-red (IR) remote control, a joystick, a game pad, a stylus pen, touch screen, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit704through an input device interface742that is coupled to the system bus708, but can be connected by other interfaces such as a parallel port, IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, and so forth.

A monitor744or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus708via an interface, such as a video adaptor746. In addition to the monitor744, a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, and so forth.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer702is connected to the LAN752through a wire and/or wireless communication network interface or adaptor756. The adaptor756can facilitate wire and/or wireless communications to the LAN752, which may also include a wireless access point disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless functionality of the adaptor756.

When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer702can include a modem758, or is connected to a communications server on the WAN754, or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN754, such as by way of the Internet. The modem758, which can be internal or external and a wire and/or wireless device, connects to the system bus708via the input device interface742. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer702, or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device750. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used.

FIG. 8illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary communications architecture800suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. The communications architecture800includes various common communications elements, such as a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, radio, network interface, baseband processor, antenna, amplifiers, filters, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the communications architecture800.

As shown inFIG. 8, the communications architecture800comprises includes one or more clients802and servers804. The clients802may implement the client systems310,400. The servers804may implement the server systems330,340. The clients802and the servers804are operatively connected to one or more respective client data stores808and server data stores810that can be employed to store information local to the respective clients802and servers804, such as cookies and/or associated contextual information. For example, the data stores808,810may store one or more sets of syndication content102.

The clients802and the servers804may communicate information between each other using a communication framework806. The communications framework806may implement any well-known communications techniques, such as techniques suitable for use with packet-switched networks (e.g., public networks such as the Internet, private networks such as an enterprise intranet, and so forth), circuit-switched networks (e.g., the public switched telephone network), or a combination of packet-switched networks and circuit-switched networks (with suitable gateways and translators). The clients802and the servers804may include various types of standard communication elements designed to be interoperable with the communications framework806, such as one or more communications interfaces, network interfaces, network interface cards (NIC), radios, wireless transmitters/receivers (transceivers), wired and/or wireless communication media, physical connectors, and so forth. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired communications media and wireless communications media. Examples of wired communications media may include a wire, cable, metal leads, printed circuit boards (PCB), backplanes, switch fabrics, semiconductor material, twisted-pair wire, co-axial cable, fiber optics, a propagated signal, and so forth. Examples of wireless communications media may include acoustic, radio-frequency (RF) spectrum, infrared and other wireless media. One possible communication between a client802and a server804can be in the form of a data packet adapted to be transmitted between two or more computer processes. The data packet may include a cookie and/or associated contextual information, for example.

Some embodiments may be described using the expression “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” along with their derivatives. These terms mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.