The notion of allowing access to your website content and data via API's and other machine readable means is well embedded in geek circles.
This presentation aims to look at the non-technical reasons why these approaches are a good idea, arguing that it is time for Machine Readable Data (MRD) approaches to be better communicated to content owners, budget holders and other non-technical stakeholders.
1. don’t think websites: think data
[ the surprising conclusions of someone
who prefers content to technology ]
www.slideshare.net/dmje
2. actually, the
real title is this:
>
ten reasons why you should pay attention to the geeks
because actually they have something quite important
to say which us non-geeky people should be listening to
9. I want to:
1. Convince you that good content is
content that has been set free
2. Demonstrate 10 reasons why
machine-readableness is a good thing
3. Give you 5 ideas about how do “do it”
4. Not be technical*
* depending on the outcome of the geek snigger test
12. http://www.ucas.com/instit/i/h60.html
locked in = single purpose
single purpose = waste
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/events.aspx
http://unicorn.lib.ic.ac.uk/uhtbin/opac/webcentral
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=8727
13. why are we here?
“..[to decide] the next steps
that need to be taken to
ensure the sustained
integration of digitised
content into research and
education ”
14. Catherine Grout, jdcc09:
“content needs to
be made available
quickly, easily, and
in a way that suits
individual needs”
20. browsers (therefore people) read html
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<div class="mxb">
<h1>John Simpson: Secret
voices of the new Iran</h1>
<p>John Simpson reporting
from Tehran before his visa
ran out on Sunday...
</div>
</td>
</tr>
21. non-browsers read non-html
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title> John Simpson: Secret
voices of the new Iran </title>
<link>http://bbc.co.uk/.../</link>
<description> John Simpson
reporting from Tehran before
his visa ran out on Sunday...
22. microformats
API RDF
OpenSearch
RSS
these things are the non-html bit
RDFa
REST
JSON iCal
46. positive externality
“
next up are the Network Effects.
here’s a classic example: the more
people who own telephones, the
more useful they become.
There is a *positive externality* - a
user doesn’t intend for their phone
to create value for others, but it
does
”
46
53. never, ever procure technology again
without asking: “where is the [API]?”...
54. the takeaway thought
At some point in the future, you’ll
want to do “something else” with
your content. Right now, you have
no idea whatsoever what that thing
is.
These techniques allow you to make
a worthwhile investment in a future
no-one can know.
55. thanks for listening
mike.ellis@eduserv.org.uk
twitter.com/m1ke_ellis
electronicmuseum.org.uk
www.slideshare.net/dmje
56. thanks to these people, too
abstract http://www.flickr.com/photos/toxi/292509986/
empty room http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkmoose/2355080489/
answer http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrs_logic/3320303076/
components http://www.flickr.com/photos/storm-crypt/2078500698/
sea http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezioman/410307927/
destroy purists http://www.flickr.com/photos/apeology/2335392254/
print screen http://www.flickr.com/photos/p1r/1351558354/
bad communication http://www.flickr.com/photos/shelleygibb/3372412222/
pay attention http://www.flickr.com/photos/subliminal/511527000/
ten http://www.flickr.com/photos/spilt-milk/164145237/
content http://www.flickr.com/photos/p373/2537069802/
re-use http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcusq/3032678489/
just relax http://www.flickr.com/photos/victornuno/205239817/
cheap http://www.flickr.com/photos/project-404/142767581/
visual http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielaguilar/2967187605/
crowd http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalieye/3265551769/
simple http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynf65/3494532917/
hidden http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiggywinkle/54801422/
social network http://www.flickr.com/photos/gustavog/4557105/
traffic http://www.flickr.com/photos/djwudi/268382948/
free birds http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankloohuis/468320896/
freedom http://www.flickr.com/photos/josefgrunig/1732787905/
night fight http://www.flickr.com/photos/strocchi/295280599/