We need an RSS reader / republisher that is capable of automatically logging into a Google account, accessing the Google reader cache of historic RSS feeds in Atom format, and republishing to an unauthenticated RSS 1.0 / UTF-8 feed.
The routine will need to be run either on a daily schedule or on demand. Users will also need to be able to specify the number of items returned – see explanation below. The output will be read using the Web Query function in Excel 2007, so the output RSS will need to be clean enough to be parsed by that program.
I assume a web app is the preferred method – however, if coders have a viable solution for this to run as a cross-platform desktop app, possibly in Java or on Air, then I am open to suggestions.
Google Reader operates a caching system that enables users to access historic RSS data from feeds. It returns this data in a standardised atom format. A brief description of how to access some of this data can be found at
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/06/reconstruct-feeds-history-using-google.html
Further details of the Google reader API can be found at:
http://code.google.com/p/pyrfeed/wiki/GoogleReaderAPI
To access this data, the user needs to be logged in with a live Google account. We need a republisher that can log in, download historic RSS data, and republish as a clean RSS1.0 utf-8 feed that can be accessed and parsed without authentication from Excel.
Our app needs to do the following:
Allow the user to add and remove feeds at will.
Specify the number of items returned / republished.
Update each feed individually, or in a batch “refresh all” operation
Run on-demand or on daily schedule
Be accessible via password-protected web interface
