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

Mon Jul 18 18:16:43 BST 2011

On 18 July 2011 18:00, Anna Powell-Smith <annapowellsmith at okfn.org> wrote:
> 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?

Sorry, I meant to say:
We should make it clear that the data can either be stored in the CKAN
data storage or on any external website.

>> "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?

Ah I understand. I think that claim is a little weak, using
twitter/facebook to just authenticating comments. To claim integration
we'd need a 'like' button and/or a link to start a twitter/facebook
status update with a shortlink to the dataset. Adding comments to
datasets is a good feature to mention on its own.

>
>> "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'.

I like the idea of thinking about the particular audience, rather than
generalising, but I realise its got to be short!

Cheers,
Dave

> 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
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> ckan-dev mailing list
>>>>> ckan-dev at lists.okfn.org
>>>>> http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/ckan-dev
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> ckan-dev mailing list
>>> ckan-dev at lists.okfn.org
>>> http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/ckan-dev
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> ckan-discuss mailing list
>> ckan-discuss at lists.okfn.org
>> http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/ckan-discuss
>>
>