Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ed Summers]

I've been using NodeJS in a few side projects lately, and have come to
like it quite a bit for certain types of applications: specifically
applications that need to do a lot of I/O in memory constrained
environments. A recent one is Wikitweets [1] which provides a real
time view of tweets on Twitter that reference Wikipedia. Similarly
Wikistream [2] monitors ~30 Wikimedia IRC channels for information
about Wikipedia articles being edited and publishes them to the Web.

For both these apps the socket.io library for NodeJS provided a really
nice abstraction for streaming data from the server to the client
using a variety of mechanisms: web sockets, flash socket, long
polling, JSONP polling, etc. NodeJS' event driven programming model
made it easy to listen to the Twitter stream, or the ~30 IRC channels,
while simultaneously holding open socket connections to browsers to
push updates to--all from within one process. Doing this sort of thing
in a more typical web application stack like Apache or Tomcat can get
very expensive where each client connection is a new thread or
process--which can lead to lots of memory being used.

If you've done any JavaScript programming in the browser, it will seem
familiar, because of the extensive use of callbacks. This can take
some getting used to, but it can be a real win in some cases,
especially in applications that are more I/O bound than CPU bound.
Ryan Dahl (the creator of NodeJS) gave a presentation [4] to a PHP
group last year which does a really nice job of describing how NodeJS
is different, and why it might be useful for you. If you are new to
event driven programming I wouldn't underestimate how much time you
might spend feeling like you are turning our brain inside out.

In general I was really pleased with the library support in NodeJS,
and the amount of activity there is in the community. The ability to
run the same code in the client as in the browser might be of some
interest. Also, being able use libraries like jQuery or PhantomJS in
command line programs is pretty interesting for things like screen
scraping the tagsoup HTML that is so prevalent on the Web.

If you end up needing to do RDF and XML processing from within NodeJS
and you aren't finding good library support you might want to find
databases (Sesame, eXist, etc) that have good HTTP APIs and use
something like request [5] if there isn't already support for it. I
wrote up why NodeJS was fun to use for Wikistream on my blog if you
are interested [6].

I recommend you try doing something small to get your feet wet with
NodeJS first before diving in with the rewrite. Good luck!

//Ed

[1] http://wikitweets.herokuapp.com
[2] http://wikistream.inkdroid.org
[3] http://inkdroid.org/journal/2011/11/07/an-ode-to-node/
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo_B4LTHi3I
[5] https://github.com/mikeal/request
[6] http://inkdroid.org/journal/2011/11/07/an-ode-to-node/

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 5:24 PM, Randy Fischer  wrote:
> On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 11:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
>> node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for node.js).
>> I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
>> passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
>> has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are on
>> it, positive or negative.
>
>
>
> It's a very interesting project - I think of it as kind of non-preemptive
> multitasking framework, very much like POE in the Perl world, but with a
> more elegant way of managing the event queue.
>
> Where it could shine is that it accepts streaming, non-blocking HTTP
> requests.  So for large PUTs and POSTs, it could be a real win (most other
> web-server arrangements are going to require completed uploads of the
> request, followed by a hand-off to your framework of an opened file
> descriptor to a temporary file).
>
> My naive tests with it a year or so ago gave inconsistent results, though
> (sometime the checksums of large PUTs were right, sometimes not).
>
> And of course to scale up, do SSL, etc, you'll really need to put something
> like Apache in front of it - then you lose the streaming capability.  (I'd
> love to hear I'm wrong here).
>
>
> -Randy Fischer

[CODE4LIB] Job: Director of Curation Services at Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research

[jobs]

The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
seeks to appoint a Director of Curation Services to maintain and develop a
comprehensive approach to data management and digital preservation. The holder
of this position will lead a team with responsibility for policy
implementation and planning across the data lifecycle, including metadata
standards, repository management, digital preservation, and compliance with
standards (such as Trusted Repositories Audit & Certification). The selected
individual will report directly to the Director of ICPSR and will be a member
of the ICPSR senior leadership. He or she will represent the organization to
ICPSR's extensive network of partners in both the social science and the
digital archiving communities.

  
The individual selected for this position will hold a research faculty
appointment in ICPSR and the Institute of Social Research. The position may be
in the Archivist (Assistant, Associate or Full), Research Scientist (Associate
or Full) or Research Professor (Associate or Full) tracks, depending upon
qualifications. Joint appointment with other University of Michigan units is
possible.

  
Organizational Overview

The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, established
in 1962, maintains and provides access to a vast archive of social science
data for research and instruction, and offers training in quantitative
methods. To ensure that data resources are available to future generations of
scholars, ICPSR acquires, processes, and preserves data. In addition, ICPSR
provides user support. A unit within the Institute for Social Research (ISR)
at the University of Michigan, ICPSR is a membership-based organization, with
more than 700 member colleges and universities around the world. A Council of
leading scholars and data professionals guides and oversees its activities.
More information can be found about ICPSR at www.icpsr.umich.edu.

  
Responsibilities*

  * Maintain and develop ICPSR's comprehensive digital preservation policy 
framework
  * Plan collaboratively with others to oversee the continuous evaluation of 
the digital repository, including all policies, standards, and workflows
  * Identify the necessary descriptive, technical, structural, and preservation 
metadata for ICPSR's diverse digital content
  * Evaluate and maintain quality control of metadata operations
  * Research other metadata standards to determine their relevance for ICPSR
  * Participate in the Data Documentation Initiative Alliance and in 
development of the DDI standard
  * Advise on methods for handling new types of digital content
  * Manage ICPSR's institutional records in collaboration with others
  * Promote the role of the organization within the digital preservation and 
data archive communities through a program of presentations, papers, and 
articles at conferences and meetings, and in journals representing key domains
  * Participate in the development of standards and good practice for the 
digital archiving community at national and international levels
  * Participate in training on lifecycle data management
  * Prepare proposals and applications for external funding to support both 
research into digital archiving and practical activities designed to enhance 
ICPSR's repository
  * Conduct and publish in the candidate's area of expertise
Required Qualifications*

M.A. or Ph.D. in an area that relates to information systems, such as Library
Science or Information Technology, but we welcome and will consider otherwise
qualified candidates with credentials that support the requirements of the
position. Five to eight years professional experience in the field, with a
minimum of two years of experience in the management of digital archiving
activities. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, in the
English language.

  
Desired Qualifications*

Demonstrated ability to analyze, assess, and find creative digital curation
solutions in a complex and dynamic research-based environment. Experience with
creating and applying metadata standards to describe digital collections.
Familiarity with data used in social science research and protection of
confidentiality in research on human subjects. Experience in a managerial role
(including fiscal responsibility and supervision of staff) on multiple
projects. Demonstrated scholarly productivity, along with the proven ability
to work both independently and collaboratively in a diverse environment.
Experience in writing grant proposals and applications, and in serving as a
principal investigator.

  
Applicants should submit a letter of application, a CV, three letters of
reference, and relevant writing samples to: George Alter, Director, Inter-
university Consortium for Political and Social Research, Institute for Social
Research, P.O. Box 1248, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1248. Screening of
applications will begin shortly and continue until the position is filled.



Brought to

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Randy Fischer]

On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 11:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:

>
>
> It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
> node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for node.js).
> I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
> passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
> has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are on
> it, positive or negative.



It's a very interesting project - I think of it as kind of non-preemptive
multitasking framework, very much like POE in the Perl world, but with a
more elegant way of managing the event queue.

Where it could shine is that it accepts streaming, non-blocking HTTP
requests.  So for large PUTs and POSTs, it could be a real win (most other
web-server arrangements are going to require completed uploads of the
request, followed by a hand-off to your framework of an opened file
descriptor to a temporary file).

My naive tests with it a year or so ago gave inconsistent results, though
(sometime the checksums of large PUTs were right, sometimes not).

And of course to scale up, do SSL, etc, you'll really need to put something
like Apache in front of it - then you lose the streaming capability.  (I'd
love to hear I'm wrong here).


-Randy Fischer

Re: [CODE4LIB] Call for Participation: LITA Mobile Computing IG meeting at the ALA 2012 Annual

[Lynch,Katherine]

Hello Bohyun,

Will presentations given virtually be considered, or only presentations by
people physically at the meeting?

Thanks very much,
Sincerely,
Katherine Lynch

On 5/8/12 2:00 PM, "Bohyun Kim"  wrote:

>**Please excuse cross-posting!**
>
>*Call for Participation: LITA Mobile Computing IG meeting
>*
>*Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 8:00am to 10:00am*
>Disneyland Hotel  North Exhibit
>Hall Room DE
>
>The LITA Mobile Computing IG seeks 4-5 short presentations (15 minutes) on
>mobile computing for the upcoming ALA Annual Conference at Anaheim, CA.
>
>The LITA MCIG is also seeking the suggestions for discussion topics,
>things
>you have been working on, plan to work, or want to work on in terms
>of mobile computing. All suggestions and presentation topics are welcome
>and will be given consideration for presentation and discussion.
>
>Feel free to email me off-the-list (k...@fiu.edu) and/or post your topic
>at
>ALA Connect : http://connect.ala.org/node/176080
>Thank you!
>
>-- 
>Bohyun Kim
>LITA Mobile Computing IG chair
>http://bohyunkim.net

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ethan Gruber]

The 4-8 week deadline is more self-imposed than anything.  The plan is (or
was) to deploy the new version of this project by mid-late summer.  It is
already under way, with a working prototype, and I can probably mostly
finish it in 80-120 hours of solid work.  I want to deploy it as soon as we
can because other bigger, sexier projects depend on RDF delivered from this
project.  If it takes six months to completely rewrite this project for
node, or any non-java platform with which I have less experience, we've
thrown a monkey wrench into the development of our other projects.

As for triplestores:

Mulgara is on my list to check out, as is sesame.  Does mulgara support
SPARQL Update yet?  In theory, one should be able to post updates directly
from XForms into a triplestore which supports SPARQL Update.  Maybe this
warrants a separate thread.

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 3:39 PM, Kevin Ford  wrote:

> > (and am
> > looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat)
> -- I don't know if the parenthetical was simply a statement or a
> solicitation - apologies if it was the former.
>
> Take a look at Mulgara.  Drops right into Tomcat.
>
> http://mulgara.org/
>
> --Kevin
>
>
>
>
> On 05/08/2012 02:01 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
>
>> For what it's worth, I have processed XML in PHP, Ruby, and Saxon/XSLT 2,
>> but I feel like I'm missing some sort of inside joke here.
>>
>> Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
>> well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
>> looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to
>> make
>> these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
>> appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
>> but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning
>> every
>> application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
>> production in the next 4-8 weeks.
>>
>> Ethan
>>
>> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Nate Vack  wrote:
>>
>>  On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer
>>> wrote:
>>>
 On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

>
> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>

 ^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?

>>>
>>> I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.
>>>
>>> ;-)
>>>
>>> -n
>>>
>>>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Kevin Ford]

> (and am
> looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat)
-- I don't know if the parenthetical was simply a statement or a 
solicitation - apologies if it was the former.


Take a look at Mulgara.  Drops right into Tomcat.

http://mulgara.org/

--Kevin



On 05/08/2012 02:01 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

For what it's worth, I have processed XML in PHP, Ruby, and Saxon/XSLT 2,
but I feel like I'm missing some sort of inside joke here.

Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to make
these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning every
application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
production in the next 4-8 weeks.

Ethan

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Nate Vack  wrote:


On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer
wrote:

On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:


in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.


^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?


I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.

;-)

-n

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Kevin Ford]

> I was
> told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
> signs of age."
-- Taking this statement at face value, and taking it to its logical end 
(that you'll have to migrate your application), I'm extremely doubtful 
that Apache, Java, and Tomcat are so near their ends of life that you 
must redo your app in less than 8 weeks time or risk technological 
obsolescence.  Far, far from it.  "Showing signs of age" is just saying 
their old (both Apache and Tomcat had support releases in April), not 
that they don't work or fit your precise needs.  In any event, if the 
timeline is real, then something's not right with the reason for 
changing everything over to "something else" or the person pushing this 
or  It's a little mind-boggling.


But, to make this a little more constructive, and assuming the 8 week 
deadline is real, I might consider something like MarkLogic given what 
you've outlined thus far [1].  That might allow you to preserve your 
XQuery/XSLT (providing that you have some since you are using eXist) and 
it gets you a replacement for Solr.  Being an XML database and 
application server, it is designed for XML documents.  Unfortunately, it 
is closed-source, but the company offers a "free" license option that 
might work for you.


If you are investigating something with PHP, Python, or Ruby, I would 
look at the Zorba XQuery processor [2], which has bindings for those 
three languages (and a few more) and, being a specific language for 
manipulating XML documents, should be more conducive to what you need to 
do with your files.  It's pure bonus if you can re-use your XQuery. 
There also appears to be some support for XSLT 1.0 [3].  I've not done 
anything with Zorba but install it on a dare.


Cordially,

Kevin

[1] http://community.marklogic.com/
[2] http://www.zorba-xquery.com/html/index
[3] http://www.zorba-xquery.com/html/modules/zorba/programming/xslt




On 05/08/2012 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

Thanks.  I have been working on a system that allows editing of RDF in web
forms, creating linked data connections in the background, publishing to
eXist and Solr for dissemination, and will eventually integrate operation
with an RDF triplestore/SPARQL, all with Tomcat apps.  I'm not sure it is
possible to create, manage, and deliver our content with node.js, but I was
told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
signs of age."  I'm not so sure about this considering the prevalence of
Tomcat apps both in libraries and industry.  I happen to be very fond of
Solr, and it seems very risky to start over in node.js, especially since I
can't be certain the end product will succeed.  I prefer to err on the side
of stability.

If anyone has other thoughts about the future of Tomcat applications in the
library, or more broadly cultural heritage informatics, feel free to jump
in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.

Ethan

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Nate Vack  wrote:


On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:


It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for

node.js).

I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are

on

it, positive or negative.


I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.

The Peepcode screencasts on Node:

https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node

are probably worth your time and money.

-n

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Joe Hourcle]

On May 8, 2012, at 2:18 PM, Ross Singer wrote:

> On May 8, 2012, at 2:01 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

[trimmed]

>> Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
>> well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
>> looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to make
>> these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
>> appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
>> but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning every
>> application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
>> production in the next 4-8 weeks.
> 
> Eh, if your window is 4-8 weeks, then I wouldn't be considering node for this 
> project.  It does, however, sound like you could really use a new project 
> manager, because the one you have sounds terrible.

But project managers don't 'add value' unless they actually do something.  If 
they just let you do things the way that you've done in the past, even if they 
worked, they could be replaced by any other project manager who knew enough not 
to micro-manage things.

And, if you actually managed to do the project on time, with them staying 
mostly hands-off, what does that tell people?  That they're not needed ... they 
need a project that's going to hell, so they can step in and 'fix' stuff.


-Joe

ps. and besides the obvious 'this is not the opinion of my employer, and may or 
may not be sarcasm' disclaimer, I've had a few instances where there was a 
non-quite-as-tight deadline and I had to learn something new ... but they 
footed the bill for sending me to a week of training

pps.  in all seriousness -- I know of someone who pulled crap like this, and 
then used it as a reason to fire the developer and replace them with one of the 
PM's friends who had the 'needed' skills ... then another instance where an 
outside consultant did a 'peer review' of our system 2 weeks before we were 
supposed to go live and then somehow got a contract to design & build a 
different system which took a year and cost the university $250k? $500k?, but 
he never delivered (hardware was shipped w/ empty drive arrays) ... so I might 
be a little more jaded than most in this scenario.  (but neither of those two 
anecdotes were at my current employeer)

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ross Singer]

On May 8, 2012, at 2:30 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

> I once had benchmarks comparing XML processing with Saxon/XSLT2 vs hpricot
> and nokogiri, and Saxon is the most efficient XML processor there is.  I
> don't have that data any more though, but that's why I'm not a proponent of
> using PHP/Ruby for delivering and manipulating XML content.  Each platform
> has its pros and cons.  I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers with that
> statement.

I don't think any feathers were ruffled, but it helps to understand what you're 
looking for.  Basically node is going to be in the same camp as PHP, Ruby, 
Python, Perl, etc. and rely on LibXML/LibXSLT (which means no XSLT2).

If Saxon is your primary tool, I think you're best off with something in the 
JVM (Java, JRuby, Groovy, etc.) or C#.

There's no reason, for example, you couldn't run Saxon with JRuby and Rails. 

But there's still that 4-8 week deadline.

-Ross.

> 
> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 2:18 PM, Ross Singer  wrote:
> 
>> On May 8, 2012, at 2:01 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
>> 
>>> For what it's worth, I have processed XML in PHP, Ruby, and Saxon/XSLT 2,
>> 
>> So then explain why LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>> 
>> It's hard to see how anybody can recommend node.js (or any other stack)
>> based on this statement because without knowing _why_ these are inadequate.
>> My guess is that node's XML libraries are also libXML based, just like
>> pretty much any other C-based language.
>> 
>>> but I feel like I'm missing some sort of inside joke here.
>>> 
>>> Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
>>> well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
>>> looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to
>> make
>>> these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
>>> appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
>>> but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning
>> every
>>> application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
>>> production in the next 4-8 weeks.
>> 
>> Eh, if your window is 4-8 weeks, then I wouldn't be considering node for
>> this project.  It does, however, sound like you could really use a new
>> project manager, because the one you have sounds terrible.
>> 
>> -Ross.
>> 
>>> 
>>> Ethan
>>> 
>>> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Nate Vack  wrote:
>>> 
 On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer 
 wrote:
> On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
>> 
>> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
> 
> ^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?
 
 I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.
 
 ;-)
 
 -n
 
>> 

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ethan Gruber]

I once had benchmarks comparing XML processing with Saxon/XSLT2 vs hpricot
and nokogiri, and Saxon is the most efficient XML processor there is.  I
don't have that data any more though, but that's why I'm not a proponent of
using PHP/Ruby for delivering and manipulating XML content.  Each platform
has its pros and cons.  I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers with that
statement.

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 2:18 PM, Ross Singer  wrote:

> On May 8, 2012, at 2:01 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
>
> > For what it's worth, I have processed XML in PHP, Ruby, and Saxon/XSLT 2,
>
> So then explain why LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>
> It's hard to see how anybody can recommend node.js (or any other stack)
> based on this statement because without knowing _why_ these are inadequate.
>  My guess is that node's XML libraries are also libXML based, just like
> pretty much any other C-based language.
>
> > but I feel like I'm missing some sort of inside joke here.
> >
> > Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
> > well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
> > looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to
> make
> > these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
> > appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
> > but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning
> every
> > application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
> > production in the next 4-8 weeks.
>
> Eh, if your window is 4-8 weeks, then I wouldn't be considering node for
> this project.  It does, however, sound like you could really use a new
> project manager, because the one you have sounds terrible.
>
> -Ross.
>
> >
> > Ethan
> >
> > On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Nate Vack  wrote:
> >
> >> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer 
> >> wrote:
> >>> On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
> 
>  in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
> >>>
> >>> ^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?
> >>
> >> I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.
> >>
> >> ;-)
> >>
> >> -n
> >>
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ross Singer]

On May 8, 2012, at 2:01 PM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

> For what it's worth, I have processed XML in PHP, Ruby, and Saxon/XSLT 2,

So then explain why LAMP/Rails aren't really options.

It's hard to see how anybody can recommend node.js (or any other stack) based 
on this statement because without knowing _why_ these are inadequate.  My guess 
is that node's XML libraries are also libXML based, just like pretty much any 
other C-based language.

> but I feel like I'm missing some sort of inside joke here.
> 
> Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
> well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
> looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to make
> these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
> appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
> but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning every
> application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
> production in the next 4-8 weeks.

Eh, if your window is 4-8 weeks, then I wouldn't be considering node for this 
project.  It does, however, sound like you could really use a new project 
manager, because the one you have sounds terrible.

-Ross.

> 
> Ethan
> 
> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Nate Vack  wrote:
> 
>> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer 
>> wrote:
>>> On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
 
 in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>>> 
>>> ^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?
>> 
>> I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.
>> 
>> ;-)
>> 
>> -n
>> 

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ethan Gruber]

For what it's worth, I have processed XML in PHP, Ruby, and Saxon/XSLT 2,
but I feel like I'm missing some sort of inside joke here.

Thanks for the info.  To clarify, I don't develop in java, but deploy
well-established java-based apps in Tomcat, like Solr and eXist (and am
looking into a java triplestore to run in Tomcat) and write scripts to make
these web services interact in whichever language seems to be the most
appropriate.  Node looks like it may be interesting to play around with,
but I'm wary of having to learn something completely new, jettisoning every
application and language I am experienced with, to put a new project into
production in the next 4-8 weeks.

Ethan

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Nate Vack  wrote:

> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer 
> wrote:
> > On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
> >>
> >> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
> >
> > ^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?
>
> I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.
>
> ;-)
>
> -n
>

[CODE4LIB] Call for Participation: LITA Mobile Computing IG meeting at the ALA 2012 Annual

[Bohyun Kim]

**Please excuse cross-posting!**

*Call for Participation: LITA Mobile Computing IG meeting
*
*Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 8:00am to 10:00am*
Disneyland Hotel  North Exhibit
Hall Room DE

The LITA Mobile Computing IG seeks 4-5 short presentations (15 minutes) on
mobile computing for the upcoming ALA Annual Conference at Anaheim, CA.

The LITA MCIG is also seeking the suggestions for discussion topics, things
you have been working on, plan to work, or want to work on in terms
of mobile computing. All suggestions and presentation topics are welcome
and will be given consideration for presentation and discussion.

Feel free to email me off-the-list (k...@fiu.edu) and/or post your topic at
ALA Connect : http://connect.ala.org/node/176080
Thank you!

-- 
Bohyun Kim
LITA Mobile Computing IG chair
http://bohyunkim.net

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Nick Ruest]

P͎̘̈̈̈Ä͖̈R̛̳̈̈̈S̡͇̈ͧ̈̽̈̈̈ͨÏ̙̐̈̈N͉̈ͤ̈̌̈͑̈̈͊G͓̈̈͐̈̽̈ ̈ͯ̈̈ͫ̈̌̈͛ͅẌ̿̈M͔̈͆̈̄̈̈̈͢L̙̈͋̈ͮ̈̈ ̠̼̈̈̈͋̈͏̈̉Ï̦̓̈ͦ̈̈̊̈Ṉ̈̈ ̷̈̈R̈̈ͣ̈͜Ü̙̹͖̍̈̈̈̈B̥̯̈̈̈̈̚Ÿ͎̱̈̈ͫ̈ ͖͚̈̈͌̈̈̈ͭ͜Ï̳͇̋̈̈̈́̈̈̄S̰̱͚̈̈̈̈̈ͬ͞ ̈̾̈S̡̝̩̈̈̿̈͊̈̈Ï̛̃̈̈M̴̈̀̈ͣ̈̈̈ͅP̈̾̈̈͗̈̈͝ͅL̈̈́̈̒̈Ÿ̷́̈̈ ̈̈̈N̠̪̈̈̈Ö̵̈̈̔̈͟T̈ͧ̈͗̈ͬ̈ 
̸̈̈̈͗̈ͫ̈͊͘P̈̓̈ͥ̈̂̈Ö͙̣͆̈̈͛̈ͤ̈S̞̈͒̈̈̈͊̈͠S͈̈̃̈̈ͦ̈̈͒͜Ḭ̈̈̈̈͟͝B̤͇̈̈̈L̈ͨ̈Ë̱



On 12-05-08 01:15 PM, Nate Vack wrote:

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer  wrote:

On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.

^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?

I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.

;-)

-n

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Nate Vack]

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Ross Singer  wrote:
> On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
>>
>> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>
> ^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?

I can't see why they would; parsing XML in ruby is simply not possible.

;-)

-n

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ross Singer]

On May 8, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
> 
> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.

^^ Really?  Nobody's going to take the bait with this one?

-Ross.

> 
> Ethan
> 
> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Nate Vack  wrote:
> 
>> On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
>> 
>>> It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
>>> node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for
>> node.js).
>>> I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
>>> passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
>>> has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are
>> on
>>> it, positive or negative.
>> 
>> I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
>> to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
>> it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.
>> 
>> The Peepcode screencasts on Node:
>> 
>> https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node
>> 
>> are probably worth your time and money.
>> 
>> -n
>> 

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Cary Gordon]

Node is about three years old, which makes it an infant in library
terms. Rails is about eight and still doesn't have a lot of traction.
Perl (25 years) and Java (17 years) seem to be considered proven.

Node.js might wipe the floor (or not) with Java and Perl someday, but
ATM, those tools have something that node won't have for a while --
libraries that are useful to libraries.

What node does have going for it is the broad userbase for Javascript
(also 17 years). The learning curve is pretty short, if you have that
background.

Thanks,

Cary

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 7:37 AM, Andrew Gordon  wrote:
> Node is fairly new - so it would be a little experimental.
> But it does have an active community, and there are quite a few useful
> packages; including a solr-client (http://search.npmjs.org/#/solr-client).
>
> I would look into it, if only for the purposes of learning a little more
> about it and to see if it would work in the context of your needs.
> -drew
>
>
> On 5/8/12 9:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:
>>
>> Thanks.  I have been working on a system that allows editing of RDF in web
>> forms, creating linked data connections in the background, publishing to
>> eXist and Solr for dissemination, and will eventually integrate operation
>> with an RDF triplestore/SPARQL, all with Tomcat apps.  I'm not sure it is
>> possible to create, manage, and deliver our content with node.js, but I
>> was
>> told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
>> signs of age."  I'm not so sure about this considering the prevalence of
>> Tomcat apps both in libraries and industry.  I happen to be very fond of
>> Solr, and it seems very risky to start over in node.js, especially since I
>> can't be certain the end product will succeed.  I prefer to err on the
>> side
>> of stability.
>>
>> If anyone has other thoughts about the future of Tomcat applications in
>> the
>> library, or more broadly cultural heritage informatics, feel free to jump
>> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>>
>> Ethan
>>
>> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Nate Vack  wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
>>>
 It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
 node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for
>>>
>>> node.js).

 I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
 passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
 has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are
>>>
>>> on

 it, positive or negative.
>>>
>>> I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
>>> to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
>>> it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.
>>>
>>> The Peepcode screencasts on Node:
>>>
>>> https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node
>>>
>>> are probably worth your time and money.
>>>
>>> -n
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Andrew Gordon
> MSI April 2011
> School of Information
> University of Michigan



-- 
Cary Gordon
The Cherry Hill Company
http://chillco.com

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Hugh Cayless]

Your triplestore and/or the client libraries you use to interface with it might 
well be Java too. While it's true that Apache, Java, and Tomcat are no longer 
the new hotness, they are solid and proven technologies. You would have to 
start breaking my fingers to convince me to ditch Solr. And as you say, nothing 
else (unless you want to go .NET) has that kind of XML support. I have hope for 
Saxon CE, but it's still in beta.

My experience of Libraries is that they are mostly dead conservative when it 
comes to what they'll support. So I doubt Tomcat is going away any time soon.

Hugh

On May 8, 2012, at 10:17AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

> Thanks.  I have been working on a system that allows editing of RDF in web
> forms, creating linked data connections in the background, publishing to
> eXist and Solr for dissemination, and will eventually integrate operation
> with an RDF triplestore/SPARQL, all with Tomcat apps.  I'm not sure it is
> possible to create, manage, and deliver our content with node.js, but I was
> told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
> signs of age."  I'm not so sure about this considering the prevalence of
> Tomcat apps both in libraries and industry.  I happen to be very fond of
> Solr, and it seems very risky to start over in node.js, especially since I
> can't be certain the end product will succeed.  I prefer to err on the side
> of stability.
> 
> If anyone has other thoughts about the future of Tomcat applications in the
> library, or more broadly cultural heritage informatics, feel free to jump
> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
> 
> Ethan
> 
> On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Nate Vack  wrote:
> 
>> On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
>> 
>>> It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
>>> node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for
>> node.js).
>>> I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
>>> passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
>>> has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are
>> on
>>> it, positive or negative.
>> 
>> I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
>> to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
>> it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.
>> 
>> The Peepcode screencasts on Node:
>> 
>> https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node
>> 
>> are probably worth your time and money.
>> 
>> -n
>> 

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Godmar Back]

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:17 AM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:

> Thanks.  I have been working on a system that allows editing of RDF in web
> forms, creating linked data connections in the background, publishing to
> eXist and Solr for dissemination, and will eventually integrate operation
> with an RDF triplestore/SPARQL, all with Tomcat apps.  I'm not sure it is
> possible to create, manage, and deliver our content with node.js, but I was
> told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
> signs of age."  I'm not so sure about this considering the prevalence of
> Tomcat apps both in libraries and industry.  I happen to be very fond of
> Solr, and it seems very risky to start over in node.js, especially since I
> can't be certain the end product will succeed.  I prefer to err on the side
> of stability.
>
> If anyone has other thoughts about the future of Tomcat applications in the
> library, or more broadly cultural heritage informatics, feel free to jump
> in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.
>
>
We've used node.js (but not Express, their web app framework) to build our
own experimental AJAX framework (http://cloudbrowser.cs.vt.edu/ ). We also
have extensive experience with Tomcat-based systems.

Given that wide, and increasing use of node.js, I'm optimistic that it
should be stable and reliable enough for your needs; let me emphasize three
points you may want to consider.

a) You're programming in JavaScript/CoffeeScript, which is a higher-level
language than Java. My students are vastly more productive than in Java.
The use of CoffeeScript and require still allows for maintainable code.

b) node.js is a single-threaded environment. Reduced potential for some
race conditions, but requires an asynchronous programming style. If you've
done client-side AJAX, you'll find it familiar; otherwise, you need to
adapt. New potential for race conditions.

c) Scalability. Each node.js instance runs on a single core; modules exist
for clustering on a single machine. I don't know/don't believe session
state replication is as well supported as for Tomcat. On the other hand,
Tomcat can be a setup nightmare (in my experience).

d) Supporting libraries. We've found the surrounding infrastructure
excellent. A large community is developing for it http://search.npmjs.org/ .
The cool thing is that many client-side libraries work or are easily ported
(e.g. moment.js).

e) Doing XML in JavaScript. Though JavaScript as a language is intended to
be embedded in XML documents, processing XML in JavaScript can be almost as
awkward as in Java. JSON is clearly preferred and integrates very naturally.

 - Godmar

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ethan Gruber]

Thanks, it really helps to get a list of projects using it so I can get a
better sense of what's possible.

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:23 AM, Cary Gordon  wrote:

> I have done some work with node building apps in the areas of mapping
> and communication (chat, etc.).
>
> Looking at the list at
>
> https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Projects,-Applications,-and-Companies-Using-Node
> ,
> the emphasis on real-time stands out.
>
> Node is fast and lightweight, and is well suited to applications that
> need speed and can take advantage of multiple channels.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cary
>
> On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
> > node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for
> node.js).
> > I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
> > passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
> > has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are
> on
> > it, positive or negative.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Ethan
>
>
>
> --
> Cary Gordon
> The Cherry Hill Company
> http://chillco.com
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Andrew Gordon]

Node is fairly new - so it would be a little experimental.
But it does have an active community, and there are quite a few useful 
packages; including a solr-client (http://search.npmjs.org/#/solr-client).


I would look into it, if only for the purposes of learning a little more 
about it and to see if it would work in the context of your needs.

-drew

On 5/8/12 9:17 AM, Ethan Gruber wrote:

Thanks.  I have been working on a system that allows editing of RDF in web
forms, creating linked data connections in the background, publishing to
eXist and Solr for dissemination, and will eventually integrate operation
with an RDF triplestore/SPARQL, all with Tomcat apps.  I'm not sure it is
possible to create, manage, and deliver our content with node.js, but I was
told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
signs of age."  I'm not so sure about this considering the prevalence of
Tomcat apps both in libraries and industry.  I happen to be very fond of
Solr, and it seems very risky to start over in node.js, especially since I
can't be certain the end product will succeed.  I prefer to err on the side
of stability.

If anyone has other thoughts about the future of Tomcat applications in the
library, or more broadly cultural heritage informatics, feel free to jump
in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.

Ethan

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Nate Vack  wrote:


On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:


It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for

node.js).

I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are

on

it, positive or negative.

I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.

The Peepcode screencasts on Node:

https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node

are probably worth your time and money.

-n






--
Andrew Gordon
MSI April 2011
School of Information
University of Michigan

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Ethan Gruber]

Thanks.  I have been working on a system that allows editing of RDF in web
forms, creating linked data connections in the background, publishing to
eXist and Solr for dissemination, and will eventually integrate operation
with an RDF triplestore/SPARQL, all with Tomcat apps.  I'm not sure it is
possible to create, manage, and deliver our content with node.js, but I was
told by the project manager that Apache, Java, and Tomcat were "showing
signs of age."  I'm not so sure about this considering the prevalence of
Tomcat apps both in libraries and industry.  I happen to be very fond of
Solr, and it seems very risky to start over in node.js, especially since I
can't be certain the end product will succeed.  I prefer to err on the side
of stability.

If anyone has other thoughts about the future of Tomcat applications in the
library, or more broadly cultural heritage informatics, feel free to jump
in.  Our data is exclusively XML, so LAMP/Rails aren't really options.

Ethan

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Nate Vack  wrote:

> On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
>
> > It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
> > node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for
> node.js).
> > I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
> > passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
> > has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are
> on
> > it, positive or negative.
>
> I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
> to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
> it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.
>
> The Peepcode screencasts on Node:
>
> https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node
>
> are probably worth your time and money.
>
> -n
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Cary Gordon]

I have done some work with node building apps in the areas of mapping
and communication (chat, etc.).

Looking at the list at
https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Projects,-Applications,-and-Companies-Using-Node,
the emphasis on real-time stands out.

Node is fast and lightweight, and is well suited to applications that
need speed and can take advantage of multiple channels.

Thanks,

Cary

On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
> node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for node.js).
> I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
> passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
> has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are on
> it, positive or negative.
>
> Thanks,
> Ethan



-- 
Cary Gordon
The Cherry Hill Company
http://chillco.com

[CODE4LIB] Job: Head of Library Technology at Middle Tennessee State University

[jobs]

The James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University seeks an
innovative, collaborative and student-centered individual to lead its
Technology Department. The Head of Library Technology
serves as administrator for the library's installation of the Innovative
Interfaces system, will lead the development of a vision for technology in
library operations and plan for the continued advancement of library computing
capabilities. This individual will contribute to overall
strategic planning, development of policies, and technology priorities
throughout the Library.

  
Twelve-month, tenure-track, Assistant/Associate professor rank. Available as
soon as position filled.

  
REQUIRED: ALA-accredited Master's degree; a minimum of five years, post-degree
experience in an academic or research library; at least two years supervisory
experience; at least two years of experience as an ILS administrator; previous
experience in a position with responsibilities for purchasing and supporting
computer hardware; effective communication skills and ability to foster
partnerships and work collaboratively; ability to meet promotion and tenure
standards.

  
PREFERRED: Degree in computer science or related field;
experience with Innovative Interfaces Millennium ILS, SunGard Banner; and Omni
Update-OU Campus content management system; experience with languages for web
page creation, including xml, css, php, and others; experience with server
management using Linux, Windows, and/or Mac operating systems; knowledge of
emerging technologies; knowledge of open source options in library settings.

  
Highly competitive salary and generous benefits.

  
Middle Tennessee State University, an AA/EEO employer, is a culturally
diverse, Carnegie Doctoral Research Intensive University of over 26,000
students located 30 miles southeast of Nashville. The University is a dynamic
institution with a commitment to diversity, valuing excellent teaching and
fostering initiatives in research and public service. The
university library lies at the heart of the MTSU educational experience.

  
For full details and application procedures, please see https://mtsujobs.mtsu.
edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=190909



Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/927/

Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone using node.js?

[Nate Vack]

On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Ethan Gruber  wrote:

> It was recently suggested to me that a project I am working on may adopt
> node.js for its architecture (well, be completely re-written for node.js).
> I don't know anything about node.js, and have only heard of it in some
> passing discussions on the list.  I'd like to know if anyone on code4lib
> has experience developing in this platform, and what their thoughts are on
> it, positive or negative.

I've only played a little bit, but my take is: you'll have more parts
to build than with other systems. If you need persistent connections,
it's gonna be neat; if you don't, it's probably not worth the bother.

The Peepcode screencasts on Node:

https://peepcode.com/screencasts/node

are probably worth your time and money.

-n