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RFC: Search Business File Format

GrandMasterDash

Well-known member
Masternode Owner/Operator
Introduction

Hello people,

I've been sitting on this idea for a very long time but I feel now might be a good time to put this out there and get some feedback.

It seems to me, one of the biggest problems with business directories is keeping info up to date. And this is specifically relevant regarding businesses that accept crypto. Are they exclusively dash? Did they recently add Bitcoin Cash? Or maybe, heaven forbid, they no longer accept crypto, traitors!

I believe the solution is based on one simple premise; that most businesses have some sort of website. And in the root directory of that website, the business owner can place four flat files, machine readable, describing all the relevant properties of their business. By doing this, business owners get full control over their data and they won't have to run around, submitting their data to numerous engines. Search engines and directories will periodically read these four files and auto-update accordingly.

Some directories / search engines do this in a proprietary way, but as far as I know, there is no universal format specifically for business listings. The idea is that we build the specifications for this format and later we build a reference tool that can auto-generate the necessary files.

If the feedback here is positive, I could submit this to other popular crypto forums in the hope we can make this a cross-platform initiative.

Example file formsts

This scheme scales, whether it's a single sole trader or a retailer chain.

The four files are; org.txt, address.txt, contact.txt, attributes.txt. They are either yaml or json (undecided):

The org.txt file is the main entry. It simply contains the organizations name and summary.
Code:
  - org_name   : Bella Cosa Restaurant
    summary    : >

        Bella Cosa is a stylish modern Italian restaurant at the heart
        of Canary Wharf overlooking South Dock. Serving a variety of
        pizza and pasta dishes in addition to Bella Cosa’s regional
        Italian specials, all using quality Italian ingredients.

        The space has great views over the river and is perfect for
        family dinners, couple’s nights out and business lunches with
        space for group dining in the upstairs private dining room
        with a view.


The address.txt file contains one or more records. It represents the physical locations of the organization. The site id is a sequential number for each branch or store within the organization. For a sole trader the site id would be 1. The fields have synonyms; province is a state, town is a city and zip is a postcode. The country is the standard ISO alpha-2 code (or alpha 3).
Code:
  - site id  : 1
    address  : Drewry House, 213 Marsh Wall
    town     : London
    county   :
    province :
    zip      : E14 9FJ
    country  : GB


The contact.txt file holds all contact and media details. Once again, it has a site id. Thus, we can represent multiple records for a single site, or for specific sites: The mtype (media type) can be phone, web, twitter and so on. The maddr (media address) is machine readable, whereas maddr disp (media type display) is human readable. The summary might be, for example, operating hours.
Code:
  - site id    : 1
    dept       : Main
    mtype      : phone
    maddr      : +442071321212
    maddr disp : +44 207 132 1212
    country    : GB
    summary    :

  - site id    : 1
    dept       : Main
    mtype      : web
    maddr      : https://www.bellacosarestaurant.com/
    maddr disp : bellacosarestaurant.com
    country    : GB
    summary    :

  - site id    : 1
    dept       : Main
    mtype      : twitter
    maddr      : https://twitter.com/bellacosauk
    maddr disp : @bellacosauk
    country    : GB
    summary    :


The attribute.txt file is where we list tags and tag groups. The tag group "Payment Methods" is where we announce our favorite crypto. The tag and tag group is a one-to-many relationship but represented as one record per tag.

Code:
  - site id    : 1
    tag group  : Cuisine
    tag        : Italian

  - site id    : 1
    tag group  : Food Types
    tag        : Pizza

  - site id    : 1
    tag group  : Payment Methods
    tag        : Dash

  - site id    : 1
    tag group  : Payment Methods
    tag        : Bitcoin Cash
 
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