[ckan-discuss] [ckan-dev] Docs status

Mon Jul 18 18:00:37 BST 2011

Hi David, thanks for this! some comments below.

On 18 July 2011 16:48, David Read <david.read at okfn.org> wrote:
> Anna,
>
> (Moving to ckan-discuss list) It's great to see this 2-page CKAN info
> document almost ready and including lots of the ideas from OKCon. Here
> are a few of my ideas to ponder. Others, please pitch in and help us
> improve it further.
>
>> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u18fIfdJOQqk9PxUl1SnucRGR8w4axmrglCL05bM2Rg/edit?hl=en_US
>
> I think the diagram could be iterated further. The annotations are in
> strong boxes with arrows, which confuses them with the software blocks
> which have the same arrows. I suggest the annotations have different
> arrows and their coloured blocks have no outlines.

Amended. BTW, I hope a graphic designer will give this a proper
once-over before it gets published, you don't want to rely on my
design skills.

> I'd also rearrange the core CKAN block to have the "database of
> datasets" as the standard cylinder shape (indicating database) and

Can't do this in Gdocs, but have noted in a comment.

> maybe change the text to "details of datasets" with the Web front-end
> and API above it. it should be "catalogue of datasets" rather than
> "database of datasets" in the diagram, to match the text.

Changed to 'catalogue of datasets' and have noted in comment that
layout can be changed as the designer thinks best.

> We should make it clear that the data can either be stored in the CKAN
> data storage (should we call it CKAN Web Store? or is that separate?)

Not sure I understand this - either in the CKAN data storage or... where?

> "social integration with Facebook and Twitter" - I don't think we have
> that (yet). Is this something we're planning? Or reference to our
> community extension with Apps and Ideas like data.gov.uk?

It's a reference to Disqus, which does let you post from your Facebook
and Twitter accounts of course, but is this it too much like
sales-speak?

> "Excel data importer" -> "Catalogue Import from Excel"

Changed.

> "You can choose to share your public data with other CKAN sites, so
> your data is automatically integrated into standard CKAN search and
> API systems, " how about something about "plugged in to the existing
> worldwide network of data consumers and app developers" rather than
> the technical details?

I've just deleted this line, so it reads 'share your public data with
other CKAN sites, ensuring it reaches the largest possible audience'.

thanks
Anna

> On 18 July 2011 14:09, Anna Powell-Smith <annapowellsmith at okfn.org> wrote:
>> Hi all
>>
>> I've now integrated all the OKCon suggestions and the suggestions
>> above into the doc.
>>
>> Here's the 2nd draft:
>> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u18fIfdJOQqk9PxUl1SnucRGR8w4axmrglCL05bM2Rg/edit?hl=en_US
>>
>> Feedback please :)
>>
>> Once you're happy with it, we'll add the text to ckan.org and hand the
>> doc to a graphic designer who can make it look nice.
>>
>> best wishes
>> Anna
>>
>> On 4 July 2011 12:06, Anna Powell-Smith <annapowellsmith at okfn.org> wrote:
>>> Hi David
>>>
>>> Excellent quote, thanks!
>>>
>>> Yes, I think perhaps I was confused between data and metadata too.
>>> Shouldn't be too hard to explain.
>>>
>>> The suggested ideas from OKCon are very useful too (copied below for
>>> the benefit of the list).
>>>
>>> I'll integrate these and circulate a 2nd draft.
>>>
>>> cheers
>>> Anna
>>>
>>> ------
>>>
>>> 2 pages about CKAN
>>> =================
>>> Audience: non-techies
>>> Comparison: Socrata, Microsoft
>>>
>>> - Benefits, features
>>> - Why open software?
>>>  - avoid long-term lock-in
>>>  - not dependent on any company
>>>  - all customers contribute to feature set - in collaboration
>>> - List of users / references, quotes from them
>>> - History of product
>>> - CKAN developers are long-term, full-time, paid (i.e. not a transient
>>> squabbling band of hackers on the internet)
>>> - Support options, SLAs
>>>  - OKF working with established partners who can provide these
>>> things, to scale as necessary
>>> - Benefit of netweork effect, joining CKANs together
>>>  - harvesting packages, standard CKAN API, federated search
>>> - RDF features (although Robert isn't interested in this, others may well be)
>>> - Storage of data option
>>>
>>> On 4 July 2011 11:53, David Read <david.read at okfn.org> wrote:
>>>> Anna,
>>>>
>>>> Super - looks like a good document already.
>>>>
>>>> People usually get confused about the distinction of data and metadata
>>>> (and also what these terms mean), and so it might be worth being
>>>> clearer about this in your text and diagram. CKAN is focussed on
>>>> metadata, but has a new (beta?) extension that can store the data -
>>>> Rufus knows more about this.
>>>>
>>>> I've sent you some ideas sourced last week, so hopefully these can
>>>> expand on some of the points on the second page. I think the quantity
>>>> of the text is about right, but maybe we can tighten up some of the
>>>> language to include some of these points.
>>>>
>>>> Also, here's a good quote from OKCon which may help. Andrew Stott was
>>>> the UK Government's Director of Transparency & Digital Engagement and
>>>> was responsible for the launch of data.gov.uk:
>>>> "Using Open Source was the best decision we ever made. A big thumbs up
>>>> to the Open Knowledge Foundation and CKAN."
>>>>
>>>> David
>>>>
>>>> On 4 July 2011 10:24, Anna Powell-Smith <annapowellsmith at okfn.org> wrote:
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> Just a quick update on docs.
>>>>>
>>>>> Currently, things are on hold, as I'm at the point of documenting
>>>>> common CKAN admin tasks, using paster etc, in the Admin Manual. I
>>>>> started writing questions into a Google doc, but quickly found that I
>>>>> had so many I couldn't continue without talking to someone from CKAN!
>>>>> So I'm planning to meet James in London on 12th May to go through
>>>>> these. Anyone is welcome to join us.
>>>>>
>>>>> In the meantime:
>>>>>
>>>>> 1. I've written a draft two-page overview of CKAN - the glossy,
>>>>> printed, two-page document we give to potential users. The graphic
>>>>> design is draft, more important at this stage is the content. Comments
>>>>> welcome: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u18fIfdJOQqk9PxUl1SnucRGR8w4axmrglCL05bM2Rg/edit?hl=en_US
>>>>>
>>>>> 2. I've hopefully left ckan.org in a tidy/correct state before I
>>>>> continue work, but let me know if I should update anything.
>>>>>
>>>>> best wishes
>>>>> Anna
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> ckan-dev mailing list
>>>>> ckan-dev at lists.okfn.org
>>>>> http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/ckan-dev
>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>
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