Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Joe Hourcle 
On Nov 2, 2012, at 3:48 PM, Roy Tennant wrote:

> Um...how is this better/different from already existing sites/efforts
> around this?
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_formats
> http://www.wotsit.org/
> http://www.ace.net.nz/tech/TechFileFormat.html
> http://www.fileformat.info/
> 
> At the very least, this new effort shouldn't start from scratch...

They could also extract a lot of information / links from:

http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/index.shtml

Although, admittedly, it's more intended for creators rather than
those trying to figure out what it is they have.  (archaeology?
forensics?)

-Joe




> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:36 AM, Ed Summers  wrote:
>> I imagine you've heard about the Just Solve the Problem month already,
>> but if not, I thought Chris Rusbridge's email to the
>> digital-preservation list was a good call for participation in the
>> project ...
>> 
>> //Ed
>> 
>> -- Forwarded message --
>> From: Chris Rusbridge 
>> Date: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
>> Subject: Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?
>> To: digital-preservat...@jiscmail.ac.uk
>> 
>> Some of you will know that Jason Scott, Rogue Archivist, is raising a
>> citizen's army to attempt to solve the "file format problem*" in the
>> month of November, 2012. The work is taking place via a wiki at
>> http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page, with a band of
>> volunteers (you need to register to make changes to the wiki, by
>> sending a username and email address to justso...@textfiles.com). I've
>> added a few formats and groups of formats myself (at least as
>> skeletons or empty placeholders).
>> 
>> The best form of help is for some of you who know more about rarer
>> data formats to register and help by editing the wiki yourself. It's
>> pretty easy; I've never used MediaWiki before, and everything I've
>> done so far has been by finding something like it and adapting the
>> wiki source. Other people can make it beautiful and standardised later
>> on!
>> 
>> If you can't do that, you could email me information about missing
>> data formats. This should include as much as possible of:
>> 
>> - name, and what it's for (ie brief description)
>> - web site with some authoritative information
>> - web site with some examples, etc.
>> 
>> Let's try and capture ALL these formats. As Jason says in his own
>> inimitable way "Let's make that goddam army!".
>> 
>> * Note, the "problem" is only vaguely defined, and after some angst
>> (eg see 
>> http://unsustainableideas.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-solution-is-42-what-was-the-problem/),
>> I think that's OK. Gathering a huge amount of information about file
>> formats in one place will be a BIG HELP.
>> 
>> --
>> Chris Rusbridge
>> Mobile: +44 791 7423828
>> Email: c.rusbri...@gmail.com
>> Adopt the email charter! http://emailcharter.org/

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Francis Kayiwa 
On Fri, Nov 02, 2012 at 03:43:12PM -0500, Peter Schlumpf wrote:
> Kernighan and Ritchie's "The C Programming Language."  A keeper for life, and 
> surprisingly readable and directed to the newbie.  Also "The Pragmatic 
> Programmer" by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas.

I recall listening to a talk by the late Ritchie when someone asked him a 
similar
question to this thread. His answer was simple. The only way to learn
how to program is to program. 

I have two dog eared copies of this book and I use it to judge all
computer programming books.

> 
> 
> -Original Message-
> >From: Bohyun Kim 
> >Sent: Nov 1, 2012 3:24 PM
> >To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> >Subject: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie 
> >coders in a library?
> >
> >Hi all code4lib-bers,
> >
> >As coders and coding librarians, what is ONE tool and/or resource that you 
> >recommend to newbie coders in a library (and why)?  I promise I will create 
> >and circulate the list and make it into a Code4Lib wiki page for collective 
> >wisdom.  =)
> >
> >Thanks in advance!
> >Bohyun
> >
> >---
> >Bohyun Kim, MA, MSLIS
> >Digital Access Librarian
> >bohyun@fiu.edu
> >305-348-1471
> >Medical Library, College of Medicine
> >Florida International University
> >http://medlib.fiu.edu
> >http://medlib.fiu.edu/m (Mobile)
> 

-- 
It looks like blind screaming hedonism won out.

Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Huwig,Steve 
I joined OCLC on the team that implemented it, just as the project was winding 
down. I brought it up more as a cautionary tale rather than a serious 
suggestion; the problem isn't that no one has looked into the file format 
problem -- the problem is that too many have approached it, without coming to a 
compelling combination of "rough consensus and running code." [1]

-- Steve

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_D._Clark


> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Gary McGath
> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 4:50 PM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can
> you help?
> 
> On 11/2/12 3:57 PM, Huwig,Steve wrote:
> > You also missed this one...
> >
> > http://gdfr.info
> 
> Did you actually find anything useful there? That project died without
> really accomplishing anything.
> 
> I was one of the people working on it and have to share some of the
> blame. There were communication problems between Harvard and OCLC, as
> well as an over-ambitious design, and we just never got anything
> working.
> 
> 
> --
> Gary McGath, Professional Software Developer
> http://www.garymcgath.com

Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Gary McGath 
On 11/2/12 3:57 PM, Huwig,Steve wrote:
> You also missed this one...
> 
> http://gdfr.info

Did you actually find anything useful there? That project died without
really accomplishing anything.

I was one of the people working on it and have to share some of the
blame. There were communication problems between Harvard and OCLC, as
well as an over-ambitious design, and we just never got anything working.


-- 
Gary McGath, Professional Software Developer   http://www.garymcgath.com

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Peter Schlumpf 
Kernighan and Ritchie's "The C Programming Language."  A keeper for life, and 
surprisingly readable and directed to the newbie.  Also "The Pragmatic 
Programmer" by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas.


-Original Message-
>From: Bohyun Kim 
>Sent: Nov 1, 2012 3:24 PM
>To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
>Subject: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie 
>coders in a library?
>
>Hi all code4lib-bers,
>
>As coders and coding librarians, what is ONE tool and/or resource that you 
>recommend to newbie coders in a library (and why)?  I promise I will create 
>and circulate the list and make it into a Code4Lib wiki page for collective 
>wisdom.  =)
>
>Thanks in advance!
>Bohyun
>
>---
>Bohyun Kim, MA, MSLIS
>Digital Access Librarian
>bohyun@fiu.edu
>305-348-1471
>Medical Library, College of Medicine
>Florida International University
>http://medlib.fiu.edu
>http://medlib.fiu.edu/m (Mobile)

Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Huwig,Steve 
It's OK, I think the project is now part of UC's udfr.org. But that one
didn't have the big ol' "OCLC" logo at the bottom. :)

-- Steve

> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf
Of
> Roy Tennant
> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 4:04 PM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can
> you help?
> 
> Well, duh, so I did. My (big) bad. Thanks for pointing out the
> obvious...
> Roy
> 
> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 12:57 PM, Huwig,Steve  wrote:
> > You also missed this one...
> >
> > http://gdfr.info
> >
> >
> >> -Original Message-
> >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On
Behalf
> > Of
> >> Roy Tennant
> >> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 3:49 PM
> >> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> >> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month:
> can
> >> you help?
> >>
> >> Um...how is this better/different from already existing
> sites/efforts
> >> around this?
> >>
> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_formats
> >> http://www.wotsit.org/
> >> http://www.ace.net.nz/tech/TechFileFormat.html
> >> http://www.fileformat.info/
> >>
> >> At the very least, this new effort shouldn't start from scratch...
> >> Roy
> >>
> >> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:36 AM, Ed Summers  wrote:
> >> > I imagine you've heard about the Just Solve the Problem month
> >> already,
> >> > but if not, I thought Chris Rusbridge's email to the
> >> > digital-preservation list was a good call for participation in
the
> >> > project ...
> >> >
> >> > //Ed
> >> >
> >> > -- Forwarded message --
> >> > From: Chris Rusbridge 
> >> > Date: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
> >> > Subject: Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?
> >> > To: digital-preservat...@jiscmail.ac.uk
> >> >
> >> > Some of you will know that Jason Scott, Rogue Archivist, is
> raising
> > a
> >> > citizen's army to attempt to solve the "file format problem*" in
> the
> >> > month of November, 2012. The work is taking place via a wiki at
> >> > http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page, with a band
> of
> >> > volunteers (you need to register to make changes to the wiki, by
> >> > sending a username and email address to justso...@textfiles.com).
> >> I've
> >> > added a few formats and groups of formats myself (at least as
> >> > skeletons or empty placeholders).
> >> >
> >> > The best form of help is for some of you who know more about
rarer
> >> > data formats to register and help by editing the wiki yourself.
> It's
> >> > pretty easy; I've never used MediaWiki before, and everything
I've
> >> > done so far has been by finding something like it and adapting
the
> >> > wiki source. Other people can make it beautiful and standardised
> >> later
> >> > on!
> >> >
> >> > If you can't do that, you could email me information about
missing
> >> > data formats. This should include as much as possible of:
> >> >
> >> > - name, and what it's for (ie brief description)
> >> > - web site with some authoritative information
> >> > - web site with some examples, etc.
> >> >
> >> > Let's try and capture ALL these formats. As Jason says in his own
> >> > inimitable way "Let's make that goddam army!".
> >> >
> >> > * Note, the "problem" is only vaguely defined, and after some
> angst
> >> > (eg see http://unsustainableideas.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-
> >> solution-is-42-what-was-the-problem/),
> >> > I think that's OK. Gathering a huge amount of information about
> file
> >> > formats in one place will be a BIG HELP.
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Chris Rusbridge
> >> > Mobile: +44 791 7423828
> >> > Email: c.rusbri...@gmail.com
> >> > Adopt the email charter! http://emailcharter.org/

Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Roy Tennant 
Well, duh, so I did. My (big) bad. Thanks for pointing out the obvious...
Roy

On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 12:57 PM, Huwig,Steve  wrote:
> You also missed this one...
>
> http://gdfr.info
>
>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf
> Of
>> Roy Tennant
>> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 3:49 PM
>> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
>> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can
>> you help?
>>
>> Um...how is this better/different from already existing sites/efforts
>> around this?
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_formats
>> http://www.wotsit.org/
>> http://www.ace.net.nz/tech/TechFileFormat.html
>> http://www.fileformat.info/
>>
>> At the very least, this new effort shouldn't start from scratch...
>> Roy
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:36 AM, Ed Summers  wrote:
>> > I imagine you've heard about the Just Solve the Problem month
>> already,
>> > but if not, I thought Chris Rusbridge's email to the
>> > digital-preservation list was a good call for participation in the
>> > project ...
>> >
>> > //Ed
>> >
>> > -- Forwarded message --
>> > From: Chris Rusbridge 
>> > Date: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
>> > Subject: Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?
>> > To: digital-preservat...@jiscmail.ac.uk
>> >
>> > Some of you will know that Jason Scott, Rogue Archivist, is raising
> a
>> > citizen's army to attempt to solve the "file format problem*" in the
>> > month of November, 2012. The work is taking place via a wiki at
>> > http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page, with a band of
>> > volunteers (you need to register to make changes to the wiki, by
>> > sending a username and email address to justso...@textfiles.com).
>> I've
>> > added a few formats and groups of formats myself (at least as
>> > skeletons or empty placeholders).
>> >
>> > The best form of help is for some of you who know more about rarer
>> > data formats to register and help by editing the wiki yourself. It's
>> > pretty easy; I've never used MediaWiki before, and everything I've
>> > done so far has been by finding something like it and adapting the
>> > wiki source. Other people can make it beautiful and standardised
>> later
>> > on!
>> >
>> > If you can't do that, you could email me information about missing
>> > data formats. This should include as much as possible of:
>> >
>> > - name, and what it's for (ie brief description)
>> > - web site with some authoritative information
>> > - web site with some examples, etc.
>> >
>> > Let's try and capture ALL these formats. As Jason says in his own
>> > inimitable way "Let's make that goddam army!".
>> >
>> > * Note, the "problem" is only vaguely defined, and after some angst
>> > (eg see http://unsustainableideas.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-
>> solution-is-42-what-was-the-problem/),
>> > I think that's OK. Gathering a huge amount of information about file
>> > formats in one place will be a BIG HELP.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Chris Rusbridge
>> > Mobile: +44 791 7423828
>> > Email: c.rusbri...@gmail.com
>> > Adopt the email charter! http://emailcharter.org/

Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Huwig,Steve 
You also missed this one...

http://gdfr.info


> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf
Of
> Roy Tennant
> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 3:49 PM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can
> you help?
> 
> Um...how is this better/different from already existing sites/efforts
> around this?
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_formats
> http://www.wotsit.org/
> http://www.ace.net.nz/tech/TechFileFormat.html
> http://www.fileformat.info/
> 
> At the very least, this new effort shouldn't start from scratch...
> Roy
> 
> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:36 AM, Ed Summers  wrote:
> > I imagine you've heard about the Just Solve the Problem month
> already,
> > but if not, I thought Chris Rusbridge's email to the
> > digital-preservation list was a good call for participation in the
> > project ...
> >
> > //Ed
> >
> > -- Forwarded message --
> > From: Chris Rusbridge 
> > Date: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
> > Subject: Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?
> > To: digital-preservat...@jiscmail.ac.uk
> >
> > Some of you will know that Jason Scott, Rogue Archivist, is raising
a
> > citizen's army to attempt to solve the "file format problem*" in the
> > month of November, 2012. The work is taking place via a wiki at
> > http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page, with a band of
> > volunteers (you need to register to make changes to the wiki, by
> > sending a username and email address to justso...@textfiles.com).
> I've
> > added a few formats and groups of formats myself (at least as
> > skeletons or empty placeholders).
> >
> > The best form of help is for some of you who know more about rarer
> > data formats to register and help by editing the wiki yourself. It's
> > pretty easy; I've never used MediaWiki before, and everything I've
> > done so far has been by finding something like it and adapting the
> > wiki source. Other people can make it beautiful and standardised
> later
> > on!
> >
> > If you can't do that, you could email me information about missing
> > data formats. This should include as much as possible of:
> >
> > - name, and what it's for (ie brief description)
> > - web site with some authoritative information
> > - web site with some examples, etc.
> >
> > Let's try and capture ALL these formats. As Jason says in his own
> > inimitable way "Let's make that goddam army!".
> >
> > * Note, the "problem" is only vaguely defined, and after some angst
> > (eg see http://unsustainableideas.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-
> solution-is-42-what-was-the-problem/),
> > I think that's OK. Gathering a huge amount of information about file
> > formats in one place will be a BIG HELP.
> >
> > --
> > Chris Rusbridge
> > Mobile: +44 791 7423828
> > Email: c.rusbri...@gmail.com
> > Adopt the email charter! http://emailcharter.org/

Re: [CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Roy Tennant 
Um...how is this better/different from already existing sites/efforts
around this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_formats
http://www.wotsit.org/
http://www.ace.net.nz/tech/TechFileFormat.html
http://www.fileformat.info/

At the very least, this new effort shouldn't start from scratch...
Roy

On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:36 AM, Ed Summers  wrote:
> I imagine you've heard about the Just Solve the Problem month already,
> but if not, I thought Chris Rusbridge's email to the
> digital-preservation list was a good call for participation in the
> project ...
>
> //Ed
>
> -- Forwarded message --
> From: Chris Rusbridge 
> Date: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
> Subject: Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?
> To: digital-preservat...@jiscmail.ac.uk
>
> Some of you will know that Jason Scott, Rogue Archivist, is raising a
> citizen's army to attempt to solve the "file format problem*" in the
> month of November, 2012. The work is taking place via a wiki at
> http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page, with a band of
> volunteers (you need to register to make changes to the wiki, by
> sending a username and email address to justso...@textfiles.com). I've
> added a few formats and groups of formats myself (at least as
> skeletons or empty placeholders).
>
> The best form of help is for some of you who know more about rarer
> data formats to register and help by editing the wiki yourself. It's
> pretty easy; I've never used MediaWiki before, and everything I've
> done so far has been by finding something like it and adapting the
> wiki source. Other people can make it beautiful and standardised later
> on!
>
> If you can't do that, you could email me information about missing
> data formats. This should include as much as possible of:
>
> - name, and what it's for (ie brief description)
> - web site with some authoritative information
> - web site with some examples, etc.
>
> Let's try and capture ALL these formats. As Jason says in his own
> inimitable way "Let's make that goddam army!".
>
> * Note, the "problem" is only vaguely defined, and after some angst
> (eg see 
> http://unsustainableideas.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-solution-is-42-what-was-the-problem/),
> I think that's OK. Gathering a huge amount of information about file
> formats in one place will be a BIG HELP.
>
> --
> Chris Rusbridge
> Mobile: +44 791 7423828
> Email: c.rusbri...@gmail.com
> Adopt the email charter! http://emailcharter.org/

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Rhoads, Joseph 
We do a lot of our development within virtual machines.
So VirtualBox is a great free solution in that area
www.virtualbox.org
and then to make new VM setup and deployment easier we use Vagrant
http://vagrantup.com/

-Joseph
--
Joseph Rhoads
Digital Repository Manager
Brown University Library


On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Mita Williams wrote:

> That reminds me of how I got started with Drupal. I was so scared of
> botching up an install on a "server" that I ran XAMPP and ran my first
> Drupal install on a USB key!
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:31 PM, Joe Hourcle
> wrote:
>
> > On Nov 2, 2012, at 2:09 PM, Mita Williams wrote:
> >
> > > +1 to web-hosting as it gives the ability install one's own software on
> > > one's domain (which feels great) *and* easy access to shell.
> > >
> > > And when web-hosting feels like too much of a barrier to access, sites
> > like
> > > jsfiddle where you can immediately start adding *and* sharing code is
> > key.
> > > IMHO the initial appeal of Code Academy was that it removed all
> barriers
> > to
> > > getting started.  Getting a laptop's localhost set up is too daunting
> > for a
> > > first step, I think.
> >
> > If that's a problem for people, it might be worth looking at the various
> > *AMP (LAMP, WAMP, MAMP) stacks for an easy install of Apache, mySQL +
> perl
> > / python / php.
> >
> > We're probably moving away from locally hosted services towards 'the
> cloud'
> > for the most part (remember when they used to be called 'service
> > providers'?)
> > but it's still useful to learn a little something about configuring a
> > webserver / database / etc.
> >
> > And it's generally more locked down in the various *AMP stacks than if
> > you went and installed them individually, so there aren't quite the
> > same level of problems w/ security.
> >
> > -Joe
> >
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Mita Williams 
That reminds me of how I got started with Drupal. I was so scared of
botching up an install on a "server" that I ran XAMPP and ran my first
Drupal install on a USB key!


On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 2:31 PM, Joe Hourcle
wrote:

> On Nov 2, 2012, at 2:09 PM, Mita Williams wrote:
>
> > +1 to web-hosting as it gives the ability install one's own software on
> > one's domain (which feels great) *and* easy access to shell.
> >
> > And when web-hosting feels like too much of a barrier to access, sites
> like
> > jsfiddle where you can immediately start adding *and* sharing code is
> key.
> > IMHO the initial appeal of Code Academy was that it removed all barriers
> to
> > getting started.  Getting a laptop's localhost set up is too daunting
> for a
> > first step, I think.
>
> If that's a problem for people, it might be worth looking at the various
> *AMP (LAMP, WAMP, MAMP) stacks for an easy install of Apache, mySQL + perl
> / python / php.
>
> We're probably moving away from locally hosted services towards 'the cloud'
> for the most part (remember when they used to be called 'service
> providers'?)
> but it's still useful to learn a little something about configuring a
> webserver / database / etc.
>
> And it's generally more locked down in the various *AMP stacks than if
> you went and installed them individually, so there aren't quite the
> same level of problems w/ security.
>
> -Joe
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Joe Hourcle 
On Nov 2, 2012, at 2:09 PM, Mita Williams wrote:

> +1 to web-hosting as it gives the ability install one's own software on
> one's domain (which feels great) *and* easy access to shell.
> 
> And when web-hosting feels like too much of a barrier to access, sites like
> jsfiddle where you can immediately start adding *and* sharing code is key.
> IMHO the initial appeal of Code Academy was that it removed all barriers to
> getting started.  Getting a laptop's localhost set up is too daunting for a
> first step, I think.

If that's a problem for people, it might be worth looking at the various
*AMP (LAMP, WAMP, MAMP) stacks for an easy install of Apache, mySQL + perl
/ python / php.

We're probably moving away from locally hosted services towards 'the cloud'
for the most part (remember when they used to be called 'service providers'?)
but it's still useful to learn a little something about configuring a
webserver / database / etc.

And it's generally more locked down in the various *AMP stacks than if
you went and installed them individually, so there aren't quite the
same level of problems w/ security.

-Joe

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Mita Williams 
+1 to web-hosting as it gives the ability install one's own software on
one's domain (which feels great) *and* easy access to shell.

And when web-hosting feels like too much of a barrier to access, sites like
jsfiddle where you can immediately start adding *and* sharing code is key.
IMHO the initial appeal of Code Academy was that it removed all barriers to
getting started.  Getting a laptop's localhost set up is too daunting for a
first step, I think.

And videos. I loved (and still love) this video series on command line
basics from Lullabot: http://drupalize.me/series/command-line-basics-series

The Head First Lab series from O'Reilly is good for beginners as well.

M

On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 10:22 AM, Caroline Meikle  wrote:

> Nth-ing Stack Overflow.
>
> Also, the O'Reilly Head First books.
>
>
> On 11/1/2012 9:16 PM, Bill Janssen wrote:
>
>> Bohyun Kim  wrote:
>>
>>  Hi all code4lib-bers,
>>>
>>> As coders and coding librarians, what is ONE tool and/or resource that
>>> you recommend to newbie coders in a library (and why)?  I promise I will
>>> create and circulate the list and make it into a Code4Lib wiki page for
>>> collective wisdom.  =)
>>>
>> "How to Design Programs" is online at
>> http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/**matthias/HtDP2e/.
>>  Good for newbie coders.
>>
>> StackOverflow.com is a great site for questions.
>>
>> Also a pretty good list at
>> http://grokcode.com/11/the-**top-9-in-a-hackers-bookshelf/
>>
>> Bill
>>
>
>
> --
> Caroline Meikle
> Database Programmer
> UW-Madison Institute on Aging
> Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) Project
> http://midus.wisc.edu/
> Information Processing Consultant
> UW-Madison Soil Science Department
> Community and Regional Food Systems Project
> http://www.community-food.org/
> camei...@wisc.edu  | 608-358-0485
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] one tool and/or resource that you recommend to newbie coders in a library?

2012-11-02 Thread Caroline Meikle 

Nth-ing Stack Overflow.

Also, the O'Reilly Head First books.

On 11/1/2012 9:16 PM, Bill Janssen wrote:

Bohyun Kim  wrote:


Hi all code4lib-bers,

As coders and coding librarians, what is ONE tool and/or resource that you 
recommend to newbie coders in a library (and why)?  I promise I will create and 
circulate the list and make it into a Code4Lib wiki page for collective wisdom. 
 =)

"How to Design Programs" is online at
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/matthias/HtDP2e/.  Good for newbie coders.

StackOverflow.com is a great site for questions.

Also a pretty good list at
http://grokcode.com/11/the-top-9-in-a-hackers-bookshelf/

Bill



--
Caroline Meikle
Database Programmer
UW-Madison Institute on Aging
Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) Project
http://midus.wisc.edu/
Information Processing Consultant
UW-Madison Soil Science Department
Community and Regional Food Systems Project
http://www.community-food.org/
camei...@wisc.edu  | 608-358-0485

[CODE4LIB] Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?

2012-11-02 Thread Ed Summers 
I imagine you've heard about the Just Solve the Problem month already,
but if not, I thought Chris Rusbridge's email to the
digital-preservation list was a good call for participation in the
project ...

//Ed

-- Forwarded message --
From: Chris Rusbridge 
Date: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
Subject: Just Solve the File Format Problem month: can you help?
To: digital-preservat...@jiscmail.ac.uk

Some of you will know that Jason Scott, Rogue Archivist, is raising a
citizen's army to attempt to solve the "file format problem*" in the
month of November, 2012. The work is taking place via a wiki at
http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page, with a band of
volunteers (you need to register to make changes to the wiki, by
sending a username and email address to justso...@textfiles.com). I've
added a few formats and groups of formats myself (at least as
skeletons or empty placeholders).

The best form of help is for some of you who know more about rarer
data formats to register and help by editing the wiki yourself. It's
pretty easy; I've never used MediaWiki before, and everything I've
done so far has been by finding something like it and adapting the
wiki source. Other people can make it beautiful and standardised later
on!

If you can't do that, you could email me information about missing
data formats. This should include as much as possible of:

- name, and what it's for (ie brief description)
- web site with some authoritative information
- web site with some examples, etc.

Let's try and capture ALL these formats. As Jason says in his own
inimitable way "Let's make that goddam army!".

* Note, the "problem" is only vaguely defined, and after some angst
(eg see 
http://unsustainableideas.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-solution-is-42-what-was-the-problem/),
I think that's OK. Gathering a huge amount of information about file
formats in one place will be a BIG HELP.

--
Chris Rusbridge
Mobile: +44 791 7423828
Email: c.rusbri...@gmail.com
Adopt the email charter! http://emailcharter.org/