well -- this issue is tangentially related to the software: why should we care about having Debian packages while there are CRAN, easy_install, etc -- all those great tools to deploy software -- domain specific and created by specialists. Although such comparison is a stretch, I think it has its own merits. Encapsulating (at least core sets) data into Debian packages makes them nicely integrated within the world of software withing Debian; with clear and uniform means on how to specify dependencies on data, on how to install, where to look for legal information, the same canonical location for related software and data etc. Versioned dependencies become especially relevant aspect is construction of regression tests of software depending on corresponding data packages, e.g. http://neuro.debian.net/pkgs/fsl-feeds.html.
I am not suggesting to replace all those data provider systems created by professionals ;) I am talking about complimenting them whenever feasible/sensible for the Debian needs/purposes. On Tue, 15 Feb 2011, Scott Christley wrote: > I think putting the data itself into debian repository is problematic. > Regardless of any licensing issue, the shear amount of data is too great. > Better to let the professionals who are getting paid to manage the data > (NCBI, KEGG, etc.) and download directly from those sites. Pretty much all > of them have ftp/http access to acquire data. > I like the getData effort. Have a set of "data descriptors" with information > about how/where to get data, then when requested performs the download. This > is very much the architecture I was thinking about. I see a number of ways > the project could be expanded. I would like to hear thoughts from Steffen > and Charles about getData before I jump in with a bunch of additions. > The biomaj projects looks interesting as well. One possibility is to use it > as the underlying data retrieval layer, but it also may be "too complex" for > basic retrieval functions. > Scott -- =------------------------------------------------------------------= Keep in touch www.onerussian.com Yaroslav Halchenko www.ohloh.net/accounts/yarikoptic -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email protected] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [email protected] Archive: http://lists.debian.org/[email protected]
