Didn't Ma.gnolia have an API, CC licensed content etc. etc? Some of the data stored there was recoverable due to being archived elsewhere but, I think, on the whole the entire datastore was lost when their servers died.
http://www.cloudave.com/link/magnolia-effect-should-we-trust-the-clouds
Not to say that APIs are bad, far from it, but they aren't a get out of jail free card in case of data loss.
Jim O'Donnell
Senior Web Developer
National Maritime Museum
Park Row
Greenwich
London SE10 9NF
DDI: 020 8312 6517
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email: [log in to unmask]
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
>Behalf Of Dan Zambonini
>Sent: 08 May 2009 15:32
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: 'Every Object Tells a Story'
>
>Hi all,
>
>To me, these feel like perfect examples to illustrate the 'central
>repository' vs 'open APIs' debate.
>
>Had these projects exposed full, rich, obvious APIs (perhaps
>they did, in
>which case this argument is invalid!), then the valuable
>content may - and
>probably would - now be in multiple other locations, sustained
>forever more
>(of course this would also rely on the content having the relevant
>licensing: Creative Commons, etc).
>
>Thanks,
>
>Dan
>
>PS Apologies if this argument was part of what Nick was making
>below; his
>post was far beyond my intellectual capability.
>
>----------------------------------------
>Dan Zambonini
>Box UK
>Internet Development and Consultancy
>
>t: +44 (0)29 2022 8822
>f: +44 (0)29 2022 8820
>e: [log in to unmask]
>w: http://www.boxuk.com
>----------------------------------------
>
>
>On 08/05/2009 15:09, "Nick Poole" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Hi Janet,
>>
>> The answer is, I'm afraid that there are too many projects,
>and possibly not
>> enough critical judgement in the funding process. Most of
>these projects have
>> been funded on a largely exploratory basis, and too little
>thought and
>> investment has gone into the organisational and strategic
>context in which
>> they will sit.
>>
>> The result, in my experience, is good work which lacks the
>surrounding
>> infrastructure to make the transition from project to service. These
>> developments are still regarded as incidental to the core
>mission of most of
>> their organisations, many of whom will only have got
>involved in the project
>> in the first place in the hope that it will release some
>useful funds and
>> generate some political credibility.
>>
>> This is a critical and central problem of trying to engineer lasting
>> development using project funding. The funder's ambition is
>to deliver work
>> which contributes towards a central strategic objective. The
>organisation's
>> ambition is to secure money to do work which contributes to their own
>> objectives, based on their knowledge of their audiences and
>collections.
>> Whether the two sets of priorities coincide is a very hit
>and miss affair and
>> 'smart' funders like the JISC Digitisation programme, which
>aim to provide
>> investment to support organisations in achieving both sets
>of outcomes, are
>> relatively few and far between.
>>
>> Could 'Every Object Tells a Story...' have evolved to be the
>basis of a
>> national collaborative online museum? Possibly. But for it
>to have done so
>> would have required a sustained strategic commitment and
>investment. Making
>> this ongoing commitment would have required 5 other projects
>elsewhere to be
>> turned down (all of which, incidentally, might also deliver something
>> amazing).
>>
>> I very much hope that in the next few years we will move
>towards a tiered
>> funding structure which aims both to seed-fund innovative
>exploratory work and
>> to incubate the best products and services via sustained investment.
>>
>> All best,
>>
>> Nick
>
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