Post B0QPD4b4PMS3iDeg2C by james@bne.social
(DIR) More posts by james@bne.social
(DIR) Post #B0PDLDiF0UTLh0ASQq by james@bne.social
2025-11-19T00:35:26Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Switched Podnews's podcast pages to use Apple Podcasts as the source of truth for RSS feed URLs - and to give a visible error where Podcast Index is showing a different RSS feed than Apple Podcasts.I've seen some issues recently where PI was showing an older, out-of-date feed: hoping this fixes it, but also alerts us to how often this is an issue.I'll be logging the errors too, so we can get some idea of how often it happens. Initial discovery: much more often than I thought.https://podnews.net/podcast/i42qa is one - in this case, the feed URL in Podcast Index is a 302 redirect to the real one.https://podnews.net/podcast/im1k0 is another - this time, two identical URLs leading to the same feed at two identical URLs (naughty naughty).@dave
(DIR) Post #B0PDLF3C24pHqGyhjE by james@bne.social
2025-11-19T10:58:07Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dave @evoterra Yikes. A surprising number of mismatches between Apple Podcasts and Podcast Index. ("PN" is whatever Podnews has - usually from Apple but not always; "PI" is whatever is in Podcast Index.)A number are easy fixes - all Feedburner links are https now for example. But, I wonder whether maintenance scripts need building into the index?
(DIR) Post #B0PDLG5iACR14NAEIC by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-19T14:10:13Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra Often people will update their url in Apple Podcasts Connect and then never put in an http redirect. It's a total mess. Keeping things in sync is the single hardest thing about running the Index. Nothing else comes close.
(DIR) Post #B0PE5GPrHt9vOkWaeW by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-19T14:18:36Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra Here is an example of one of the scripts that run:https://gist.github.com/daveajones/abc028071d91ee60a737bcea2561c427This one runs after every polling job finishes to try and handle any redirects it encountered, but NOT following the redirect if it would break sync with Apple Podcasts.
(DIR) Post #B0PEQC0CtPtBn4VQsS by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-19T14:22:23Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra The bigger problem is when it happens in the other direction, with people only changing in AP and not setting the http redirect. Or creating identical shows on multiple hosts and never removing the old one to make it 404. The feedburner (and http -> https in general) is one I've seen but I can't change them all in mass, because some people still have http:// as the scheme in AP.
(DIR) Post #B0PETChClqnkoI3Oim by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-19T14:22:55Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra I'm very open to ideas on how to get things to be cleaner. It's very hard.
(DIR) Post #B0PH8HhRGtRk6tsbYm by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-19T14:52:45Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra Something else to note, is that the Index API returns the same result if you query for http or https urls. It treats them as the same url:/api/1.0/podcasts/byfeedurl?url=https://podcast411.libsyn.com/podcast/api/1.0/podcasts/byfeedurl?url=http://podcast411.libsyn.com/podcast... are functionally equivelant.
(DIR) Post #B0Q8zTS9b8p5Tuyhhg by james@bne.social
2025-11-20T00:56:10Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dave @evoterra Yep - hardest thing about running a directory.The question is really whether we believe Apple is the “source of truth”. If a podcaster changes the RSS feed in Apple Podcasts Connect, should that be the signal to change it in PI as well? Personally I think it is - it ensures we are in sync with Apple, and a typical podcaster has admin rights for their own show on Apple Podcasts, so it’s likely it will be up to date. I do wonder whether there’s a script that incrementally runs that looks up the Apple Podcasts ID, compares the RSS feed, and switches them over if Apple’s has changed.Or if there’s a programmatic way to say “update this PI id with this new RSS feed” then I could do that as part of Podnews’s work; though that does make me a little nervous.(Or if there’s a programmatic way to say “Update this PI id with the RSS feed from Apple Podcasts with the id already in the database” that might be even better).
(DIR) Post #B0QP0tB52S3QoyglCi by james@bne.social
2025-11-20T01:00:43Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dave @evoterra One for the board room, really, is the relationship that PI should have with Apple Podcasts.My suggestion is that if the podcast exists in Apple, we should use the RSS feed in Apple’s index as the source of truth. If it’s changed from one to another, then PI should mirror that change - if there is an Apple ID already in the index. (If it has been removed, then do nothing to PI’s entry.)
(DIR) Post #B0QP0tniimxkkolcQq by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T03:55:45Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra Yeah, board room issue for sure. I've been thinking about it on and off all day. It's a tightrope.I'm trying to see all the sides and not get blinded by idealism in either direction.
(DIR) Post #B0QP41TCfFp3PMeyO0 by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T03:56:21Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @evoterra I keep thinking there is a solution floating around to be grasped but just out of reach.
(DIR) Post #B0QPD3UIX3RMGvTkq8 by evoterra@podvibes.co
2025-11-20T01:02:25Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @dave My hat is off to you fellas. I struggle keeping a directory of 1,600 shows properly updated. I’m seriously (?) considering making custom “static” RSS feeds (that calls the media files at the hosting provider) that have all the correct tagging (for binge-ready fiction podcasts), and just the episodes of a the finale’d seasons. That has its own challenges, of course. But I don’t need to pull new episodes or try to keep the feeds in sync. Cc @grueproof
(DIR) Post #B0QPD4b4PMS3iDeg2C by james@bne.social
2025-11-20T01:06:37Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@evoterra @dave @grueproof Yikes. I wonder how creators would feel about that... though I see the benefits for you.
(DIR) Post #B0QPD5eIUqcwyWAlhg by evoterra@podvibes.co
2025-11-20T01:12:25Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@james @dave @grueproof We would be, in essence, curating a playlist of select episodes of a show. Nothing odd about that from a streaming platform perspective (read: Spotify). Happens all the time. Artists still get (poorly) paid when the track plays. But will that translate to podcasting? Is it similar enough to RSS feeds of trailer episodes?
(DIR) Post #B0QPD6XFCYZzivseLg by russell@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T01:26:38Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@evoterra @james @dave @grueproof jumping in, this is interesting. 🧐 Should hosting companies not be updating the index like say in worse case a podcaster closes their account and moves to another provider. So no 301 redirect. Would it be beneficial for hosting companies to send a podping with the value delete?
(DIR) Post #B0QPD75z7OMvSg8OUy by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T03:57:51Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@russell @evoterra @james @grueproof We've discussed that. So much potential for shenanigans with a DELETE action. Not sure I trust podping to that degree.
(DIR) Post #B0QV7XIDP6n2hMZwbw by dave@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T05:04:13Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@russell @evoterra @james @grueproof Actually, I just had a bit of a brain wave. Not sure if it would work but maybe.
(DIR) Post #B0QdJ3byeUBeQM0bFg by james@bne.social
2025-11-20T06:31:20Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dave @russell @evoterra @grueproof 👀
(DIR) Post #B0RO0QDN5MzIs07D3A by rademaker@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T15:19:12Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dave @james @evoterra for better or worse it seems like Apple is the podcast world source of truth. As long as they remain benevolent that is ok for PI. We’re here for the inevitable day when they stop being a good actor. That’s my 2 cents
(DIR) Post #B0RS9wFXkVRWeDvO4W by ericpp@podcastindex.social
2025-11-20T16:05:43Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dave What happens if you send a podping for a RSS feed that has been deleted? Does the index see the 404, mark it as dead, and remove it?@russell @evoterra @james @grueproof