Welcome to the Microformats Resource Center. The Semantic Web, a project directed by Tim Berners-Lee of the W3C, aims to create a standard for information exchange on the web. To do so, documents must be tagged so that a computer understands the meaning of the data. This can be done using microformats. This resource center includes sites that will show you how microformats are being used to tag information like events, resumes, reviews and more so the information can easily be shared online. At the Mix06 Conference, Bill Gates said, "We need microformats and to get people to agree on them. It is going to bootstrap exchanging data on the Web." In the Microformats Resource Center you'll find links to:

• Microformats.org where you can learn more about microformats.
• Includes an overview of microformats, upcoming events, a blog, a wiki, discussion forums and news. Includes an extensive Microformats wiki with detailed entries for each microformat.
• The Microformats Cheat Sheet. Includes elemental microformats, compound microformats, and design patterns (Datetime Pattern and Include Pattern).
• The eBook, "Using Microformats," by Brian Suda. Provides an introduction to microformats, the history of microformats and how you can contribute to the development process. Discusses their skyrocketing popularity. Examples show you how to add the various microformats to your documents.
• The "Microformats Primer," by Garrett Dimon. Topics include an example of microformats and why to use them (standards, CSS convenience, plug-and-play JavaScript, machine-readable, implicit metadata vs. explicit metadata, and meaningful markup).
• The article, "Microformats and Web 2.0," by Micah Dubinko, Senior Research Developer at Yahoo. Discusses the use of microformats in Web 2.0 applications and services. Topics include microformats community and process, influence on the web, microformat annoyances, and things to watch.
• The tutorial, "Add Microformats Magic to Your Site: Heard of the Semantic Web? Using Microformats Everyone Can Contribute to the Richness of the Web," by John Allsopp, founder of Westciv (August 25th, 2006). Topics include the open source effect, an introduction to microformats, who is using microformats, and how to use microformats. Includes code examples.
• A presentation from the XML 2006 Conference by Harry Halpin of the University of Edinburgh entitled, "Social Semantic Mashups: Exploring Social Networks with Microformats and GRDDL."
• The microformats wiki where you'll find all of the details about microformats, the specifications and more.
• A list of microformats applications, plugins, source code, services and tools, plus organizations and developers that support microformats.
• The microformats specifications including hCard, hCalendar, VoteLinks, hReview, XFN™, XMDP™, Rel-License, Rel-Tag, XOXO and RelNoFollow.
• The presentation, "Microformats: converting XHTML to vCards and iCalendars."
• The Microformats.org blog with the latest news, developments and announcements about microformats.
• The personal blog of Tantek Çelik, Senior Technologist at Technorati and expert in microformats.
• The blog entry, "Microformats Are More Than RSS," discusses some of the popular microformats hitting the web such as podcasts and structured blogging, and possible future microformats.
• Source code for the various microformats, plus related tools and software packages.
• Pingerati, a service that connects microformat publishers with microformat index services.
• The sample chapter, "The Progress and the Promise of Microformats," by Tantek Çelik and Rohit Khare.
• A discussion of Microformats with Tantek Çelik of Technorati, Dan Connolly of the W3C, Rohit Khare of CommerceNet Labs, and Alex Barnett of Microsoft Development Network (MSDN) and TechNet—all experts in the field of microformats.