Feature Request: gpodder.net integration

[Bernd Schlapsi]

In one of the latest "Linux Outlaws" episodes Fabian mentioned that one of the next goals is to extend Pony Express to a generic podcast client. This is great news.
At the moment there is no pocast client an Android which integrates with gpodder.net. So it would be great to see this feature in Pony Express.

development information for gpodder.net: http://gpodder.net/developer/

[Fabian A. Scherschel (fabsh)]

What exactly do you mean by "integration"?

[Bernd Schlapsi (bernd-sch)]

Pony Express could work/register as a gpodder.net device.
So it would be possible to download my podcast list from gpodder.net. It would also possible to browse the gpodder.net "Podcast Directory"
Additionally it would be nice to report all downloaded/played/deleted episode to gpodder.net
The API documentation provides information about the functionality: http://wiki.gpodder.org/wiki/Web_Services/API_2

Of course gpodder was the first client with gpodder.net integration.
Amarok is getting support at the moment (http://blog.gpodder.org/2011/06/gsoc-update-amarok-integration.html, http://blog.gpodder.org/2011/03/amarok-241-beta-1-ships-with-gpoddernet.html)

And it would be nice to have an Android podcast client with gpodder.net integration.

[Fabian A. Scherschel (fabsh)]

I think browsing the gpodder.net directory is a bit out of the scope we currently have for the app. It's supposed to be a simple podcatcher, not a bloated monster like BeyondPod. I'm a bit worried that tying in a webservice will be a bit too much and open many doors for feature creep. Also, I'm not sure the ability to report what episodes have been played would be all that useful for the app or the user, I do understand that it is mostly important for gpodder.net however.

Importing your podcast list sounds cool but I'm not sure we necessarily need an API for that. Downloading an OPML from gpodder.ne would probably be sufficient.

While I agree that having an Android client with gpodder.net integration would be cool, I'm not sure Pony Express should be the one. I've been lobbying to get gPodder on Android for ages and only the fact that nothing has happened on that front for years let me to even contemplate making our own app. But, as I've said, I'm not sure gpodder.net would bring enough benefits to justify the effort spend in getting it integrated.

[Paul Elms (scifly)]

Just had a look at the API docs and it turns out that there is a simple API and and Advanced API. The simple API would allow downloading/uploading of podcast lists and search for new podcasts which might be good to have without too much bloat. The simple API does NOT allow for syncing episode status, which I am not sure we need anyway.

Once we have pony handling generic podcasts, I'll take a look at the simple API again.

[Fabian A. Scherschel (fabsh)]

Sounds reasonable.

[Bernd Schlapsi (bernd-sch)]

Thanks for your feedback.

[Paul Elms (scifly)]

I am closing this bug here as we are moving over to using Bugzilla. I have re-opened this bug at http://sixgun.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=27