OpenWetWare:Feature list/Lab notebook/2007 Oct Brainstorming: Difference between revisions

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# Implementing a set of tools as an API for consumption by client-side programs.  For example, most of the common blog platforms (Wordpress, Blogger, etc.) have XMLRPC API's that allow client-side programs to fetch and post content on the blogs.
# Implementing a set of tools as an API for consumption by client-side programs.  For example, most of the common blog platforms (Wordpress, Blogger, etc.) have XMLRPC API's that allow client-side programs to fetch and post content on the blogs.


The former approach has the advantage of being controlled by OWW with an OWW look and feel.  However, it is also very complicated to integrate a lot of the features into the core wiki smoothly (graphs, spreadsheets, etc.)  The latter approach has the advantage in that users can continue to use the graphics programs and spreadsheets that they already use.  The minimal API just offers an avenue for posting and retrieving content from the wiki.  The disadvantage of the latter approach is that client-side software has to be developed to use these api's.  However, there are popular tools that already exist that can interact with such API's, and this list is growing (especially due to the popularity of Google's GDATA API's).  See my notes for more information.
The former approach has the advantage of being controlled by OWW with an OWW look and feel.  However, it is also very complicated to integrate a lot of the features into the core wiki smoothly (graphs, spreadsheets, etc.)  The latter approach has the advantage in that users can continue to use the graphics programs and spreadsheets that they already use.  The minimal API just offers an avenue for posting and retrieving content from the wiki.  The disadvantage of the latter approach is that client-side software has to be developed to use these api's.  However, there are popular tools that already exist that can interact with such API's, and this list is growing (especially due to the popularity of Google's GDATA API's).  See [[OpenWetWare:Feature_list/Lab_notebook/2007_Oct_Brainstorming/Julius|my notes]] for more information.


==Pre-meeting activities==
==Pre-meeting activities==

Revision as of 18:08, 4 October 2007

Later this year, OWW will begin a major effort to implement new technology features that will make using lab notebooks on OWW easier. Some discussion has already taken place as to what new features are desirable (e.g. on the parent page to this page) and many users are already actively using OWW for their lab notebook. We are having a brainstorming session (teleconference & wiki chat) Friday October 5, 2007 at Noon EDT to collect all these ideas and generate some new ones.

Teleconference & Chat, Friday October 5, Noon Eastern Time

How to connect to the meeting
Call this phone number: 617-452-2163
Get the wiki chat going: Click on the "chat" button
at the top of any page,
and then go to the "lounge."

Since we have settled on a date and time (Friday, October 5, Noon Eastern Time), I have archived the scheduling grid.

The meeting will be a teleconference and chat, as is done with the OWW Steering Committee monthly meetings. We will post the phone number and chat link in this area, once we've worked out those details. Hopefully we have that info out soon, but as a last resort, visit this page a few minutes before noon EDT on Friday to see the up to date links.

Proposed meeting agenda

  1. Chaos of getting chat and telecon working
  2. Introductions
  3. Implementation Discussion
  4. Feature Discussion
  5. How to move ahead

Julius B. Lucks 21:07, 4 October 2007 (EDT): I added an implementation discussion before the feature discussion because I think the former is more fundamental to what we are trying to achieve. To me there are two main implementation routes

  1. Implement everything as server-side by adding wiki-extensions, etc. The main feature of this is that users primarily interact with the service through their web browser.
  2. Implementing a set of tools as an API for consumption by client-side programs. For example, most of the common blog platforms (Wordpress, Blogger, etc.) have XMLRPC API's that allow client-side programs to fetch and post content on the blogs.

The former approach has the advantage of being controlled by OWW with an OWW look and feel. However, it is also very complicated to integrate a lot of the features into the core wiki smoothly (graphs, spreadsheets, etc.) The latter approach has the advantage in that users can continue to use the graphics programs and spreadsheets that they already use. The minimal API just offers an avenue for posting and retrieving content from the wiki. The disadvantage of the latter approach is that client-side software has to be developed to use these api's. However, there are popular tools that already exist that can interact with such API's, and this list is growing (especially due to the popularity of Google's GDATA API's). See my notes for more information.

Pre-meeting activities

  1. Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELN) elsewhere. As Tom Knight pointed out on the parent page, there are a lot of non-OWW people working towards these same goals. I spent some time looking at his links and it would probably be useful for others to do as well. Here are two that were fruitful for me:
    • UsefulChem very active use of wiki-style ELNs.
      • Are there any UsefulChem people who are also OWW members and would attend the brainstorming session? Sure - I'll be there! (JC Bradley)
    • Oak Ridge ELN and specifically, this page lists a lot of features they've added over the years.
    • ChemSpider is going to be Wiki-enabled in the future. We have allowed structure deposition so far. Wiki-enabling for curation of the chemical structures is coming. Ultimately My ChemSpider will enable "notebooking" for chemists
    • Southampton Blog Book - have a look at the 'bioblogs', we are trying to find the best way to organise the metadata and also have some cool features built in such as label printing (which you can see - but it will print to a printer in Southampton) and template posts (which you can't see without edit permissions)
  2. If you have time, add your picture and create a sub-page with your own personal pre-meeting thoughts (as disorganized as you like). You can see "Steve Koch" for an example of how to do this.
  3. Add proposed agenda items and please edit this page with any improvements you can think of!
  4. Take a look at the previous suggestions for lab notebook improvements on OWW.

Wiki Lab Notebook Brainstormers