060429 Technical Issues

Rodrigo y David: les propongo que comencemos a trabajar sobre la redacciΔn del Request For Proposals (RFP) en este espacio. Las observaciones de todos los participantes del proyecto son bienvenidas.

ΔComenzamos?

Algo para definir: los sistemas de administraciΔn de contenidos (CMS), saben administrar documentos en distintos formatos, y tambiΔn articulos/news/etc que se ingresan directamente mediante un form web que ofrece el CMS.

En nuestro sitio, Δla gente aportarΔ sus recursos subiendo archivos que contienen el recurso, o los tipearΔ directamente en el sitio?. Podemos ofrecer ambas formas, pero ΔcuΔl serΔa la recomendada por el sitio?

Si pedimos que la gente cargue sus archivos, podemos caer en una incoherencia. La mayor parte de la gente tiene sus documentos en formato doc (MS WORD), de modo que si carga esos archivos, seremos un sitio de recursos open source, pero que requieren de un software cerrado para su lectura !! PodrΔamos hacer al revΔs, y pedir que la gente cargue su contenido en un formato que sea leido por software libre (tal como el de OpenOffice Writer), pero muy poca gente lo usa, por lo que tendrΔamos contenidos que no podrΔa leer la mayor parte del pΔblico …

La otra alternativa es que la gente entre al sitio y haga un copy/paste de su recurso sobre un form web que ofrece el sitio. Ese contenido queda en nuestra base de datos, y se puede leer desde el sitio directamente sin necesidad de software adicional. La desventaja de esta opciΔn es que para el usuario es un poco mas facil subir un archivo directamente que abrir el archivo, copiar el contenido y luego pegarlo en un web form.

ΔQuΔ opinan Uds.?

Carlos Jacobs

Hola Carlos, Perdon por el silencio prolongado hermano mΔo. Primera tarea que tengo que realizar es la traducciΔn de tu comentario al Ingles para la participaciΔn de David.

Sobre tu propuesta es muy interesante lo que planteas. Creo que la mejor opciΔn es diseΔar o buscar una interfaz que permita a los usuarios del sitio poder cargar los materiales en un formato xml. Es un desafΔo grande, ya que requiere un copy & paste de los usuarios en la herramienta, pero creo que esto nos provee una mejor utilizaciΔn de los recursos. Una experiencia existosa en esa linea es el proyecto conexions: http://cnx.rice.edu

Traduzco e invitamos a David a dar su opiniΔn. Ahh!! Agragame por fis a Msn: pichy00@hotmail.com :D Abrazo,

RoD

TraducciΔn de los Comentarios/ Traslation of the Comments

Rodrigo and David: I propose to begin to work on the writing of Request For Proposals (RFP) in this space. The observations of all the participants of the project are welcomes.

May We Start?

Something to define: the contents management systems (CMS), know how to administer documents in different formats, and also articles/news/etc that directly enters by web forms.

In our site, people will contribute to its uploading archives, or it will write them in the site. We can offer both forms, but which would be the recommended to the site? If we requested that people loaded they archives, we can fall in an incoherence. Most of people have documents in format doc (MS Word), so that if they loads those archives, we will be a site of resources open source, but that requires of a proprietary software for their reading!

We could do the other way, and request that people loaded they content in a format to can reader by free software (as the one of OpenOffice Writer), but few people use it, and we’ll have a lot of contents but they can reader for a small number of persons.

The other alternative is that people makes in the site a Copy/paste of its resource on form Web for offers in the site. That content is in our data base, and it is possible to be read directly from the site with no need of additional software.

The disadvantage of this option is that for the user he much easy upload the file directly, that to open a file and makes copy the content and stick it in a Web form.

What do you think?

Carlos Jacobs

Hi Carlos, Sorry for the long silence brother mine. The first homework I have is the translation to the English of your comment for the participation of David.

About your proposal, is very interesting your points. I think is much better option design a interface to let to the user of the site load the resources in XML format. Is a great challenge, because need copy&paste of the users in the plataform, but I think it provides a much better use of the resources. One success experience in this way is Connexions Proyect.

I’ll translate and we invite to David to say him opinion. AH! Please add me to your messenger: pichy00@hotmail.com :D A hug,

RoD

Hi Carlos and RoDrigo!

I think perhaps we ought to look at some similar projects and see what solutions they found. I’d prefer if we could keep things in open source — for all the good reasons you mentioned at our meeting, Carlos! — but I also want to make sure that we make the site useful for people who don’t know much about technology.

One example of a site we might look at for ideas is DSpace.

This is my first post in english!! I hope you can understand it.

I was thinking about file formats. In a previous post, I said that .doc files require MS Word to read them. That isnΔt true, because it’s possible to use OpenOffice to read and edit them! So, there isnΔt any contradiction in publish files in propietary formats (if there is some open source software to read them)

In the other hand, I think my other question is pertinent.

Do we want people contribute content uploading files only or they could contribute content using a webform to input the content too?

Rodrigo: I’ve just installed Skype. My username is crjacobs. Could we keep in touch using Skype?

Any news about Dspace testing?

Blessings!!

Carlos

Carlos and RoDrigo,

Greetings!

Thanks for getting started on this.

You both have some very good ideas. I agree that we need to make it as easy as possible for people to upload content. but I also think we might save ourselves some trouble (and editing time) if we ask contributors to use a template.

I have worked a little with dspace before, and will take a look at the URL and pages you have mentioned during the next few days.

Blessings to you both! And Carlos, I think your English is great.

David