[icecast] a new directory service

[Jack Moffitt]

So I've been doing some research and thinking here and there about what
a _good_ directory service for icecast would be like.  I'd appreciate
some feedback and some discussion on this topic, before I start putting
a lot of effort into developing it.

First off, I think getting rid of # of listeners is a must.  It just
creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and encourages cheating.  I think the
best way to facilitate finding streams that you really want to listen to
is to make the information sortable, searchable, and filterable etc.
I'll probably be making a stand alone client to help with this, although
the web interface will still be there.  How else can we present the
information that takes the focus off of stupid, irrelevant things like
number of listeners?

Here's my current list of information that each directory entry would
contain.  If you don't understand what 'auth' is, don't worry.  it's
there to provide a modicum of security.  What else would you guys like
to see or think should be there?

DIRECTORY VALUES
================

url
        the url to the stream
        ex.: http://streams.vorbis.com:8000/downtempo.ogg

type
        type of the stream
        ex.: audio/mpeg or application/ogg

bitrate
        bitrate of the stream in kilobits per second
        ex.: 64

name
        the name of the stream
        ex.: Jack's Funky Beats

genre
        the genre of teh stream
        ex.: downtempo or talk

homepage
        the homepage of the stream
        ex.: http://streams.vorbis.com/

email
        email address of the streams maintainer
        ex.: jack at xiph.org

description
        short description of the stream
        ex.: All the funkiest beats from the funkiest people.  Tune
        in now for some great downtempo music.

ttl
        time to live.  number of minutes  an entry is valid for.  subsequent
        directory changes will refresh this value.  when the value
        reaches 0, this entry will be removed.
        ex.: 5

auth
        authorization string.  this is a md5sum of of some
        random data.
        ex.: echo 'jack at xiph.org|Jack Moffitt|password' | md5sum
        

jack.

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