[Rhodes22-list] NOAA weather privatized?

[Mark Kaynor]

Slim,

Sorry. Here's another try:

What used to look something like this:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/AKQ/SFTVA

Now looks more like this:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/forecasts/VAZ014.php?warncounty=VAC121&city=Bla
cksburg

The point being that, once the data are stored in XML format, they can be
output to the web (or to Word or to .PDF, etc.) in pretty much any fancy
interface the programmer decides to use. AuccuWeather, the Weather Channel,
all of them can then easily use then "brand" the NOAA data on their web
sites.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Steve Alm
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 3:25 PM
To: Rhodes
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] NOAA weather privatized?

Hmmm...I'm a little sorry I asked, although I know you're just trying to
help.  8-)  So what does all that mean for the likes of me?  Does it mean
better, clearer wx web sites?  What tools does this give me?
Sorry so dumb,
Slim

On 5/19/05 1:17 PM, "Mark Kaynor" <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:

> Slim,
> 
> Hoo boy. Another one that's a bit tricky to explain w/ out speaking Geek.
> Like they say, it's all Geek to me....
> 
> XML stands for Extensible Markup Language - it's a markup language 
> (kind of, but not really like HTML), that's primarily used to describe 
> and contain data for publishing on the WWW. Unlike HTML, however, 
> which uses predefined tags, the programmer defines XML tags, making it 
> very powerful for handling data - like weather or Amazon or eBay, or 
> insurance info, etc. I know that sounds a bit obtuse, so I did a quick 
> Google search and came up w/ this site which probably says it a bit
better:
> http://www.w3schools.com/xml/xml_whatis.asp
> 
> And here: http://www.htmlgoodies.com/beyond/xml/article.php/3473531
> 
> Mark
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Steve Alm
> Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 2:03 PM
> To: Rhodes
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] NOAA weather privatized?
> 
> Mark,
> 
> What is an XML interface?
> 
> Slim
> 
> On 5/19/05 8:00 AM, "Mark Kaynor" <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Folks,
>> 
>> I've been hearing about this for a couple of weeks and thought I'd 
>> pass it along.
>> 
>> Mark
>> 
>> The National Weather Service recently began publishing weather data 
>> to the public via an easy to access XML interface. Previously NOAA 
>> released data in an arcane and complicated format created over 40 
>> years
> ago.
>> 
>> This is a great boon for everyone, as the XML feeds allow for 
>> integration of weather data into personal homepages & computer 
>> applications, and makes it easier for scientists, meteorology 
>> students and people interested in the weather to use 
>> industry-standard tools to
> access weather data.
>> 
>> Well, its not great for everyone, particularly companies like 
>> Accuweather, who make their money reselling weather data to the 
>> public and
> media outlets.
>> Apparently they managed to lobby Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania to 
>> introduce a bill, S.786.1, which would prevent the National Weather 
>> Service from competing with for-pay weather companies. The language 
>> of the bill is very broad and if passed may jeopardize the XML Data 
>> Feed, the NOAA website, and even NOAA weather radio.
>> 
>> The following link makes sending a letter to your senators easy - 
>> please take the time to do so if you want NOAA to be able to continue 
>> to provide free services (the ones we already pay for with our taxes).
>> 
>> https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr003=uio7mzb8p1.ap
>> p
>> 8a&pag
>> e=UserAction&cmd=display&id=123
>> 
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