SVN is now up and running again. ApacheMap and MonoBackup are on google code:
ApacheMap: https://code.google.com/p/apachegeomap/source/checkout
Mono-backup: https://code.google.com/p/m0n0-backup/source/checkout
wp-rdfa and wp-dephorm are hosted by wordpress:
wp-rdfa: http://svn.wp-plugins.org/wp-rdfa/
wp-dephorm: http://svn.wp-plugins.org/wp-dephorm/
Feel free to download alter and suggest changes again.
I’m doing some work on the dev server here at SquareCows to improve performance. This however means the local SVN is not currently working. I’m planning to migrate all the SVN repositories over to google code and will be pushing lots of new software patches at the same time. Hopefully I’ll get some time over the holidays to do this. For those of you interested in what I’m doing with the server I’m trialling lighttpd to see what kind of performance boost can be achieved.
I’ve just confirmed wp-RDFa and wp-dephorm are both compatible with WordPress 2.9-RC1. So your free to test the new release without breaking your semantic web presence or leaving your readers vulnerable to the prying eyes of phorm.
If you spot any problems just drop me a mail via the contact form and I’ll look into it.
Just tweaking with my theme to add my logo back on my blog finally.
For those of you currently using Dropbox, an online storage drive for your personal files, and wanting to upgrade to Ubuntu 9.10 you may hit some problems if you try and install the 9.04 deb file. The program may start but never prompt you for a username and password and just crash out. However all is not lost, there is a away round it as Dropbox offer a source download for the non proprietary bits and will download the other required parts itself. Heres how to get it all working again.
1. First lets get some required software packages.
sudo apt-get install wget build-essential libnautilus-extension-dev libnotify-dev python-docutils
2. Now lets get the source.
sudo su -p
cd /usr/src/
wget https://www.getdropbox.com/download?dl=packages/nautilus-dropbox-0.6.1.tar.bz2
3. Unpack
tar xvfj nautilus-dropbox-0.6.1.tar.bz2
4. Compile
cd nautilus-dropbox-0.6.1
./configure
make
make install
5. Your now ready to run Dropbox from Applications > Internet > Dropbox
Hope that helps a few people. Enjoy!
Well I’ve not posted for a while as I’ve been working on some new code and packages for RDFa and linux. I’ll get round to releasing them pretty soon and hopefully they’ll get put to some good use.
However I’m very distracted at the moment with my latest toy! A 1974 VW Type 2 Camper van!!!!! Lots of work to do on it so please forgive my lack of posting. I’ll post some photos very soon!
Why open data?
Why should you use open data on your site? Data is what drives commerce on the internet, its also what helps us all search and find what we are looking for. Finding relevant data presented to in a useful way to your needs is however becoming harder due to the shear volume of data on the internet. This is why open data and open standards are gathering support from such organisations as w3c. Open data has the potential to solve many problems of finding and sharing information on the web for both humans and machines.
Linked and Open Data!
Open Data is a philosophy and practice requiring that certain data is freely available to everyone, without restrictions from copyrights, patents or other mechanisms of control. It has a similar ethos to a number of other “Open” movements and communities such as open source. However open data on its own needs a framework to make that data useful. This is know as the semantic web, or as Tim Berners-Lee puts it “next web”. Linked data and the semantic is a way of using data in which the semantics of information and services on the web is defined, making it possible for the web to understand and satisfy the requests of humans and machines to use the web content. In layman’s terms its a way using the web as a universal medium for data, information and knowledge exchange.
The Purpose of Semantic Data.
Humans are capable of using the Web to carry out tasks such as finding the Finnish word for “monkey”, reserving a library book, and searching for a low price for a DVD. However, a computer cannot accomplish the same tasks without human direction because web pages are designed to be read by people, not machines. The semantic web is a vision of information that is understandable by computers, so that they can perform more of the tedious work involved in finding, sharing, and combining information on the web.
Gains from Linked and Open Data.
Opening your data and using standards can bring significant gains to usefulness of the data you are already publishing on your web site. The data is already there but in human form, using mark-up designed to be interpreted by computers frees that data for use in other applications or mash-ups. The main concern of most organisations will be “Why should I give this data away? Isn’t it worth money?”. The main answer is your already giving this data away but only for humans! Allowing computers and programs to analyse this data can open up your data to new concepts and ideas and ultimately new revenue streams. For example you product data may get included in a new application for a mobile phone platform, or the data on your website could be used to plot events happening in the local area on Google maps. There are of course thousands more examples and potentially millions of people who could use your data in new and exciting ways. The possibilities are endless, and open data allows development of the way your business works without huge investments in R&D teams. Your data could be used in ways you’ve never imagined. Because this data is linked it will also allow people to find out further information about the data set, because it can all be analysed by machines, this could lead to new markets finding your products via other data sets and that can mean new customers!
How to share your data?
There are multiple ways to share your data and depending upon your data set this can influence your choice. The wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web provides more in depth technical information should you wish to learn more. Using RDF and N-Triples is an incredibly powerful way of parsing your data however if your looking for details on humans the FOAF vocabulary may be the correct method for you. The data can either be embedded in the HTML of your site or accessed via RESTful API using SPARQL or XML. Of course you can use a multitude of methods and link the data sets together making the data you already own far more useful on the “next web”. At the very least I recommend that people start to look at this technology and keep an eye on developments.
Further Reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linked_Data
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/tim_berners_lee_on_the_next_web.html
I’ve started work on creating some debian/ubuntu packages of Garlik’s 4store RDF database, currently there is source and soon there will be some RPM’s, so I thought I’d help bring .deb’s to the party. The guys from Garlik are very helpful and can be contacted in #4store on freenode. According to their site:
4store was designed by Steve Harris and developed at Garlik to underpin their Semantic Web applications. It has been providing the base platform for around 3 years. At times holding and running queries over databases of 15GT, supporting a Web application used by thousands of people.
I’m looking at this product to build the core of system that will help create a scalable, repeatable, easy to use data store system. The idea behind this is to help organisations achieve the goal of opening their data. @johnlsheridan stated that open source is the perfect system for promoting and achieving the goal of open data and open standards, all three go hand in hand. My aim is to remove the “black magic” currently involved in setting up some of these systems and help people free their data easily, which should benefit us all in the long run.
4store has some very interesting features such as the ability of nodes to clustering database nodes for scalability. It also has a SPARQL http server which provides a RESTful API. The fact that all the data can be accessed by a URI means this data is cacheable, which in turn means you can scale this system very easily with proxies and load balancers. The beauty of the system though is that none of these extra features are a requirement, so if your a small organisation with a moderate amount of data you don’t need to break the bank to do it.
Why free your data?
Well data is key for communication and the traditional business model is to guard your data and protect it. However the internet generation is here, and they’re changing the world! As soon as you put your data in a open standard anyone can use it. Using linked data means that someone looking for information about a certain item can find your data easier and more importantly can be interpreted by machines easily which improves search algorithms. If this item searched for is a product it may get you a sale. If the item is data about health it might even save a life. Data is diverse and so is its uses, when you open your data people may find a new way of using it and progress is made. Opening your data allows people create mashups and pull in data from a multitude of sources, giving a accurate and informative view on the requested subject matter. Open source, open data and open standards if embraced by enough people will help everyone move forward. I’ve only skimmed the surface of what these systems can be used for and trying to describe the importance of open data is incredibly difficult because data can be anything! If you want to know more I’d suggest looking at these TED speaches:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/tim_berners_lee_on_the_next_web.html
and an excellent example of open data in use:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html
Hello again Richard
Here are the answers to your questions from 118800.co.uk:
118 800 is happy to answer the questions you have posed. There is a lot of misinformation being published about our service and we welcome the chance to set the record straight.
1. If we become ex-directory will you still sell access to our details to other private companies? How do intend to stop companies abusing your service.
Whether someone is ex-directory or not, we NEVER sell the information we hold on people in our directory to third parties.
As the service doesn’t disclose mobile phone numbers, or any other personal information, to enquirers we fail to see how this service can be abused by companies. 118 800’s mobile connection service exists to put friends and acquaintances in touch with each other when one party has lost the other’s mobile phone number, or simply doesn’t have it to hand. The service always announces the enquirer by name to the person in the directory, so the latter will never be in put in the position of having to take a call from someone they don’t recognise
2. How can we have our data completely removed from your service? If we can’t what are your reasons and justifications?
You can have your data completely removed from our service. But we advise you simply to become ex-directory so that – when we refresh our data – we can ensure you remain ex-directory if your details come to us again.
3. What steps have been taken to protect the contact details of children?
We have no children listed in our directory. We have to be able to positively identify each person in our directory as being of adult status before we accept them as a listing. However, where an adult has used a phone then passed it onto a child, the adult may be listed in our directory with that phone. So we do advise parents to make children’s phones ex-directory.
4. Why isn’t your service an opt in directory which gives the individual the option of being apart of your service?
Our service operates on an opt-out basis, like a landline directory enquiry service, in order to achieve a scale that will provide a useful service to people. We all lead busy lives and would never get round to opting in to something like a directory enquiries service that plays such a small part in our day to day lives. We believe it’s our responsibility to ensure that people know we exist and that we make it easy and free for them to become ex-directory. We would strongly suggest it’s easier to find out how to become ex-directory with 118 800 than it is with landline directory enquiry services in the UK.
5. Why is a directory enquiry service asking people to remove their telephone contact details? Doesn’t this defeat the object of your service?
We’re not asking you to become ex-directory. We believe this is a useful service for lots of us on occasions we need to get hold of someone when they’re out and about and we don’t have their number on us. We’re simply saying that for anyone who decides this doesn’t fit with how they use their mobile phone then we‘ll make it easy to become ex-directory
6. Who is your data protection officer and what are their contact details?
We have a privacy function, not a named office. In the UK (unlike in other EU countries) there is no obligation to have a named officer. You can write to us at:
118 800 Privacy Office, PO Box 2747 Reading RG30 4ZQ
7. What are you going to do about the website scalability problems which have prevented many users from becoming ex-directory?
Importantly, there is no mobile connection service being operated by 118 800 as of 9th July 2009. All ex-directory requests made by people in our directory before the service was temporarily suspended will be processed. The ex-directory function will be restored as soon as the service becomes operational again.
The reason we took the decision to suspend the service was to improve the website service to customers. We launched our Beta service on 3rd June 2009 and had hoped to implement developments whilst remaining fully operational. But the attention our site has attracted has made this impossible. We intend to be up and running with an improved service shortly.
Some reassuring PR answers but I’m still concerned that children are vulnerable to being contacted. Most children have their phones purchased by a parent with their parents credit/debit card details. This means the vast majority of phones are registered to adults. Also the easiest top up mechanisms provided by the mobile companies require that the credit/debit cards that are used to top up pay as you go services require the registered phone user and the card holder to be the same. Maybe this is something the mobile companies also need to be looking into, could we have a flag put on the phone that this phone actually belongs to a child either at the mobile company or with you? How do we do this?
The plea just to become ex-directory and not have our data removed is a little concerning “when we refresh our data – we can ensure you remain ex directory”. This feels a little like a threat saying we are going to get your data sooner or later. The point is you have no right to hold data about me or use that in marketing, you’ve provided us with no advise on how to remain out of your data set for ever , I never gave you permission to hold data on me in the first place. If I have to spend time every month requesting you remove my data your company is causing me an inconvenience and I believe that this is illegal in the eyes of the law under the Data Protection act. As for the argument about opting out, when I had my land line connected I was asked if I wanted to be ex directory, when purchasing my mobile phone I was never given this option. Yes your correct we all have busy lives and finding the time to opt out is also difficult. How about you contact us all and ask us if we wish to be in the directory? After all that’s what happened with land lines. Asking us to become ex directory means you can boast that you have X amount of numbers in your data base and is nothing more than publicity, I believe this is the real reason you don’t want us to remove our data. If we all remove our numbers you don’t actually have a product to market. Its our data and we have a right.
I believe you miss understood question 5, which maybe down to my wording but my point was, why wont 118 800 let me publish their contact details? Its a little odd that a directory enquiry service doesn’t want their numbers to be published. After all that’s what your business is about.
As the ex directory service is down how do people currently register to become ex directory? It would be nice to provide alternative contact methods, we have a email address now but how about letting us know who we can call?
I recently tweeted about the fact 118 800′s website was conveniently down not allowing me to unsubscribe from the controversial mobile phone directory being set up in the UK. What annoys me and many others is that 118 800 never asked my permission to use my data in the first place and alot of people feel this should be an opt-in directory not an opt-out.
I recieved a reply from a fellow tweeter @SkippyUK informing me of a phone number I could call and a contact name of a employee who could remove my data from the directory not just make me ex-directory. I felt as a fellow member of the Internet community I should share this information as we all have a right to have our data protected and removed from any list. However it seems 118 800 were not too happy with this information leaking out and I’ve received a email from their PR company (Biss Lancaster) who in my humble opinion have just generated a whole load more bad publicity for 118 800. It reads as follows:
Subject: Your post on 118800
Message: Could you pleas remove the telephone number of <removed name>
from 118800 from your recent blog post. We’ve been in touch with
“Skippy” on Twitter.
If anyone wishes to become ex-directory they should email
contact@118800.co.uk.
Thank you,
<removed for privacy>
Companies who go after bloggers have always generated a lot of bad feeling amongst the Internet generation and now it seems there are some companies who wish to stop tweeters from spreading information also. As an act of good faith I’ve removed the offending telephone number and names to respect privacy of these people in the hope someone from 118 800 replies to this post with a few answers to some questions which address concerns a lot of people have over their service.
1. If we become ex-directory will you still sell access to our details to other private companies? How do intend to stop companies abusing your service.
2. How can we have our data completely removed from your service? If we can’t what are your reasons and justifications?
3. What steps have been taken to protect the contact details of children?
4. Why isn’t your service an opt in directory which gives the individual the option of being apart of your service?
5. Why is a directory enquiry service asking people to remove their telephone contact details? Doesn’t this defeat the object of your service?
6. Who is your data protection officer and what are their contact details?
7. What are you going to do about the website scalability problems which have prevented many users from becoming ex-directory?
We’d love to hear from you 118 800 so please get in touch!
