Thanks for your suggestion, Mike. As a developer I also value the concept of an open and freely available API, and I wish that more sites would provide these, but I am not sure it is yet appropriate for our database as it will be some time before we have a sizable pool of users, letalone developers.
Also, I might not be clear on what you mean by "programmatically," but I think it is a bit short-sighted to limit the scope of web-based interfaces to only casual queries. I am not usually a supporter of the term "Web 2.0" because I think it has lately signified little more than colorful buttons, but I do believe more and more tasks can be accomplished from within the browser. I believe energy should be put into moving more advanced tasks online because it removes learning curves and hardware restrictions, thereby increasing your base of users. I think it is not easy to develop an intuitive web-based UI that is not fairly restrictive, but that does not mean it should not be pursued. Keith On Wed, Apr 9, 2008 at 9:58 AM, Mike Marchywka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > As I suggest to anyone who will listen, provide an API ( a machine usable > interface) to let > third parties ( as well as yourself ) design whatever UI's you determine > make sense. > Any complicated data source is best accessed programmatically and a web > interface is only > useful for the casual user doing one-of situations or exploratory work. In > some cases, > this may be the full extent of the immediate need. Unless you think are can > anticipate > every need that every user may have with your data source, an API that > exposes all > the data that you are willing to reveal is the best way to go. > > So, I'd recommend publishing an API and even sample scripts for your own > developers > first and then worry about some specialized web interfaces. > > > > Mike Marchywka > 586 Saint James Walk > Marietta GA 30067-7165 > 404-788-1216 (C)<- leave message > 989-348-4796 (P)<- emergency only > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Note: If I am asking for free stuff, I normally use for hobby/non-profit > information but may use in investment forums, public and private. > Please indicate any concerns if applicable. > Note: Hotmail is possibly blocking my mom's entire > ISP - try me on [EMAIL PROTECTED] if no reply > here. Thanks. > > > > Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:07:47 -0700 > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [BiO BB] Advanced web query interfaces for biological databases > > > > > > I am working on the web interface for a fairly complex database that > > integrates several different types of data (gene expression, sequence, > > annotation). A basic interface for accessing individual records in the > > database has already been written, but my lab's biologists would like > > to see a more powerful form interface. They would like to be able to > > add thresholds on arbitrary fields and set other parameters for > > several fields at a time. > > > > I have been pointed to the Query Builder on NCBI's Trace Archive > > (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Traces/trace.cgi) as the basic concept, > > and I can see how that could be implemented with its helpful > > auto-complete text, but it seems like it still has quite a learning > > curve and is not really very intuitive. I have also found BioCyc.org's > > Advanced Query page (http://biocyc.org/query.html) and several others > > that are similar or harder to use. AJAX can help, and we plan to > > integrate auto-completion of some text, but I would like to build > > something powerful and yet intuitive that does not require someone to > > read a manual before using. Any suggestions? I suppose innovation in > > UI design often starts in other places first so I'd appreciate any > > non-biological examples as well. > > > > Thanks! > > > > Keith Callenberg > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > BBB mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.bioinformatics.org/mailman/listinfo/bbb > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Pack up or back up–use SkyDrive to transfer files or keep extra copies. > Learn how. > > hthttp://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_packup_042008 > _______________________________________________ > > > BBB mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.bioinformatics.org/mailman/listinfo/bbb > _______________________________________________ BBB mailing list [email protected] http://www.bioinformatics.org/mailman/listinfo/bbb
