[Rets-dev] Google Base Housing vs. RETS

Thu Mar 15 09:45:19 CDT 2007

Another thing about GoogleBase is once it is posted it is basically public
domain.  Basically the copyright has been removed and transferred to Google.
Google owns the data.

Stuart

  _____  

From: rets-dev-bounces at rets.org [mailto:rets-dev-bounces at rets.org] On Behalf
Of Stuart Schuessler
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 9:33 AM
To: dsrockets at gmail.com; Rets-dev at rets.org
Subject: RE: [Rets-dev] Google Base Housing vs. RETS

>> So why is RETS so complicated again? 

It's no more complicated than any other standard.  Given the high adoption
rate apparently there are others that do not think it is too complicated
either.  Any ideas to make it less complicated are always welcome.  Have you
been to any of the meetings?

>> No one explained the theory behind it

There is a certain assumption that there is some understanding of Real
Estate and hierarchical metadata structures.  The specification includes
examples of use.  I could not find a document outlining the theory of
GoogleBase and yet you have an understanding of it.  Googlebase has a
description of use but no "Theory".  I would go out on a limb here and say
RETS is better explained with more documentation than Googlebase- of coarse
with Googlebase what is to explain.  It is an FTP push.  There is no
identity management, no control over who gets the data, no business rules
that allow owners of a listing to see field like expiration date, etc.  It
is a classified ad.

>> The need for the concept of a client is crazy. 

The core RETS specification does not require a special client.  Everything
can be done through the browser.  In fact originally it was set up to work
nicely with just some simple javascript if you wanted to put a user friendly
search screen on top of it.

>>just 'readable' in a pure http browser

RETS 1.x is

Googlebase (beta) has been out just over a year.  I like the housing
templates:  http://base.google.com/base/help/housing.html

Notice the:

Not Found

Error 404

For each of the templates- again: BETA

Why not just stick with FTP feeds?  It is basically the same thing except
they are offering a push location.  Googlebase is a classified ad.  Not very
robust.

RETS 1.X offered the real estate industry something before SOAP even came
out and certainly before GoogleBase.  Once SOAP came out and stabilized the
RETS community started to move in that direction.  I believe the reason the
adoption of RETS 2.0 has been slow is basically RETS 1.X is doing the job.
Once some of the 2.0 features have stabilized and there are a couple of
large MLS/MLS Vendors that start using 2.0 there will be a higher adoption
rate.  That is how the RETS 1.x got started.

I am sure that if you are having a problem trying to get something
implemented you could ask question and get help.  Do a general "this sucks"
post on the thread really does not accomplish anything.

Stuart

  _____  

From: rets-dev-bounces at rets.org [mailto:rets-dev-bounces at rets.org] On Behalf
Of dsrockets at gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 7:21 AM
To: Rets-dev at rets.org
Subject: Re: [Rets-dev] Google Base Housing vs. RETS

haaaha.  Blast from the past!!! Seems like a good time to dig this back up
as it got a mention on a MLS blog ++
http://www.flexmls.com/blog/?p=23#comment-19

So why is RETS so complicated again?  No one explined the theory beihind it,
when the same things are accomplishable, as secure, with much simpler
technology (see googlebase)?

The need for the concept of a client is crazy.  It should just be easily
defined in most programming frameworks, and just 'readable' in a pure http
browser (pure XML with https url based auth -) 

In fact, is most of the core of RETS2 still not php/python friendly?  Yes,
that is going to be fun seeing that most of the client apps out there are
php based.

I feel like I am part of the 300!

On 12/21/06, Chadwick Meyer <chadwick at cratemedia.com> wrote:

Here Here. I agree. I've always thought RETS was needlessly complicated in
it's own obscure fashion.

Chadwick Meyer

chadwick at cratemedia.com

T. 407/538.9026

F. 866/534.8654

***************

Crate Media

1087 Dees Dr.

Oviedo FL 32765

www.cratemedia.com

On Dec 20, 2006, at 8:56 PM, dsrockets at gmail.com wrote:

been a patient observer in and out of rets for a while, thought I needed to
put some my own experiences out on this.

I dont think there is any benefit to Google even looking at RETS.  As said
earlier, they have thier own system and it works just fine.  In fact, RETS
should look at how Google / Trulia / Oodle handle data (or more closely
listing) exchange a bit more closely. 

All of these are built on simple, yet effective transport mechanisms that
can handle query based retrieval and updates.  We have implemented both RETS
for pulling data and all three methods mentioned earlier for update and
query.  The level of complexity (earlier message) seems to make it apparent
why Google / Trulia / Oodle have all had large adoption rates.  It gets the
job done simply and easily.  They are also built using out of the box and
proven methods. 

I'd recommend the powers to be consider these approaches, if not even
piggyback on them, as they are solid, structured, secure and more
importantly efficient and straightforward.

From: dbt < <mailto:retsdev at develest.com>  retsdev at develest.com >
Date: Dec 20, 2006 5:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Rets-dev] Google Base Housing vs. RETS
To: Eric Madariaga < <mailto:ericm at nsoftware.com>  ericm at nsoftware.com>
Cc: David Harris < <mailto:dharris at fmls.com>  dharris at fmls.com>, E-mail
Rets-Dev < rets-dev at rets.org <mailto:rets-dev at rets.org> >

There's no reason you can't embed a RETS payload (RETSML or a JSON'ified
COMPACT representation) in an Atom document and use an OpenSearch 
style API to retrieve a set of records with permalinks for each entry 
that you can use to retrieve/update.

GET /rets/search?q=(AREA=+2000) HTTP/1.1
Host: rets.example.com  <http://rets.example.com> 
Accept: application/atom+xml

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/atom+xml
<feed xmlns=" <http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom>  http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
<link rel="self" 
    href="/rets/search?q=(AREA=+2000)" />
<title>Search Results</title>
<entry>
  <link rel="alternate" type="application/rets+xml" 
        href="../properties/10029" /> 
  <summary>Server-generated user-readable description, perhaps containing
    the address or square feet or whatever</summary>
</entry>
</feed>

GET /rets/properties/10029
Host: rets.example.com
Accept: application/rets+xml

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/rets+xml
ETag: xyzzy

<REPropEntry>
....

Interestingly, and in completely unrelated news, Google themselves just 
deprecated their SOAP search API. 

On Wed, Dec 20, 2006 at 03:28:18PM -0500, Eric Madariaga wrote:
>
> Not to sound pessimistic, but good luck with that :). Google's format is
> based on the GData specs that they have published (basically Atom/RSS 2.0
> with extensions).  You would have a MUCH easier time providing a
> transformation mechanism for MLS data.
>
> For example I'd love to see an RSSBus module ( www.rssbus.com
<http://www.rssbus.com> ) for RETS.
> That would  enable you to push MLS data from any RETS capable server
> directly to Google base with no additional code.
>
> -Eric
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: rets-dev-bounces at rets.org [mailto:
<mailto:rets-dev-bounces at rets.org>  rets-dev-bounces at rets.org] On Behalf
> Of David Harris
> Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 3:33 PM 
> To: E-mail Rets-Dev
> Subject: [Rets-dev] Google Base Housing vs. RETS
>
> Just for giggles, I looked at the Google Base Housing API metadata, and of

> course, no mention of RETS. Here is the link (I hope): 
>
> http://www.google.com/base/api/itemTypeDocs?verticalName=housing
<http://www.google.com/base/api/itemTypeDocs?verticalName=housing&vertica>
&vertica
> lLocale=en_US
>
> Question is, do we (meaning Paul) open a line of communication with them
to 
> hopefully have them adopt RETS? Something about keep your friends close
and 
> your enemies closer... jk.
>
> David
>
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--
David Terrell 
dbt at meat.net
((meatspace)) http://meat.net/
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