Re: [backstage] Backstage - Stagnant

[Duncan Barclay]

I have to agree with you that at times the list has been very quiet, and some new prototypes or feeds would help fix that. However, that means that people have to make new prototypes or feeds.  There are a lot of "Ideas" on the Backstage site, but the problem with them is that a lot are suggestions to the BBC about what content could be put out there, and only a few are ideas about what to do with what is there.  Some of those could be developed though. Ben/Jem, any chance of splitting the ideas section into two parts under that kind of split (for BBC and for developers)?  It would make it better for everyone. Personally I would like to make a new prototype, and there is something that I started a while ago but never finished.  Might try and finish it over the next few days/weeks. It would be nice to get some ideas from people who aren't developers (and therefore won't be restricted by the "that's not possible" thoughts), and BBC staff would be as good as anyone for that.  There may also be ideas that Ben/Jem/anyone else involved in Backstage have been hiding from us, so they could be good too. There is also the option of trying to come up with a backstage open source project, where we try to make something for the BBC, but the problems with that are that it may not get used (not so much of a problem if it is something general) and that it may be seen as the BBC getting work done for free (although not the people making it, but from people who aren't familiar with the whole idea of volunteering code/time for a project for what would effectively be commercial use, even when that was clearly stated at the start). Backstage does seem to vary greatly in activity, with massive peaks at key points (around the launch and competition deadline for example) and very low activity in between.  It would be nice to have more activity all the time ... It has been suggested in the past that universities be invited to encourage students to participate in Backstage.  Has there been any progress about that? Duncan James wrote: Hi, Please don't read this in the wrong way but is the backstage project becoming stagnant? A few months ago there was a lot of hype and it sounded promising but for me personally I havent seen much in the way of new "things" for the developing community to use.  Yes, the feeds are great but to some extent they were already out there and if we're honest it was only a matter of time before people began to use them without the BBC's consent. We are yet to see anything of the API's which have been "to follow soon" for months now and there has been little implementation or word of it from any of the numerous prototypes that have been put out.  As a group I've also noticed that messages are sparse and recently more about petty points than anything interesting to developing. I think the concept of the backstage is great but I for one would like to see a more active, engaging approach from the BBC and I think there is only so many places one can take an RSS XML feed...  How about some ideas from the BBC about things they would like to see?  How about real life ideas which they potentially want to implement? Any thoughts on this? Jim. - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group.  To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html.  Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/