Matters

XML.com: What Are Microformats?: "The phrase 'XML world' paints an apt word picture, for on top of a bedrock specification lives a thriving ecosystem, inhabited by complex layers of specifications, products, and personalities, both individually and in consortia. Like any ecosystem, XML world is subject to Darwinian natural selection and periodic adjustments. The best ideas tend to stick around.
The idea of microformats is particularly being explored of late. Previously, XML-Deviant discussed several microformats in the context of Google's good example of utilizing new technologies. But what exactly is a microformat? A primary source for microformat information is Technorati's developer wiki entry, which doesn't define the term, but rather illustrates around it."