I'm an 'old-timer' around here, but I'll introduce myself as well. I'm
Daniel Hanks, I do systems and database admin stuff for United Online here
in Orem. I enjoy thinking about how new web technologies can be used to
further genealogical research. I'm very interested in the church's work to
digitize and index its microfilm, and the family history software/system
the church is developing. I'm hoping for web-service APIs built around
this system such that any number of apps could be built (in any language
that can speak XML), much as what can be done with the Google and Amazon
API's. I see the web moving towards something of a building-block model,
where you have large data-repositories (such as Google, Amazon, Ebay, the
church, etc) exposed via open APIs, such that you would be able to tie
these services together in useful interesting ways.
As an example, consider the church's digitization efforts for its
microfilm. Imagine every image generated by this digitization had a unique
id, and could be displayed/retrieved by a certain web service call, or simply
by a unique url. Web service calls could also then be available which
would provide metadata about this image, which document did it come from,
when was it created, what geographical areas did it come from, what
surnames are mentioned in the image, etc.
With that interface exposed I could tie it up with, say, google maps, so
that I could browse a map and show pinpoints of any microfilm images that
originated in a certain area.
What if family tree navigation (think Ancestral File) were opened up via
API? I could tie it up with Google maps to show migration routes of my
ancestors with each suceeding generation. I imagine somewhere there's a
web service that offers timelines of historical events. I could tie this
family tree navigation with that and get a nice timeline of events in my
ancestors lives contrasted with world events.
Let's say I go on a crusade to snap photos of all the tombstones of my
ancestors that I can find. I store these images on my server, and write an
app that allows a visitors to browse my family trees that I've submitted
to the church, and with each individual able to display the mages I've
taken of their tombstone.
These ideas are only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, of what could
be possible with open APIs exposing this data. I'm sure there are hundreds
and thousands of tools that could be created to enhance genealogical
research, if the data were exposed via some form of API. In this way, the
church could develop their own basic interface around the service, and not
have to spend development time implementing every last little obsucre
feature in a desktop application. Let those who really want it write an
app or extension to provide that feature.
At any rate, that's what I'm interested in. :-)
-- Dan
On Thu, 20 Oct 2005, Charles Fry wrote:
Hey,
I don't mean to disrupt the mailing list peace, but I've noticed a
recent influx of new members. I, for one, would be quite interested in
learning who you are, how you found LDSOSS, what motivated you to join
the list, and what you hope to get from the group.
In any case, welcome, and we hope you enjoy it here!
Charles
--
If our road signs
Catch your eye
Smile
But don't forget
To buy
Burma-Shave
http://burma-shave.org/jingles/1963/if_our_road
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