websites on a shoestring good cheap collection data publishing n. dean pentcheff regina wetzer

http://collections.nhm.org

Natural History Museumof Los Angeles County

Websites on a shoestringGood cheap collection data publishing

N. Dean PentcheffRegina Wetzer

Why put collection data on the Web?

• A collection's value is in its information

• Information is useless unless shared• The Web is our most efficient way to share

Why put collection data on the Web?

• A collection's value is in its information

• Information is useless unless shared• The Web is our most efficient way to share

Because you’d like to keep your job...(post-Terry Yates address)

• Why put collection data on the web?

• How do data flow from collections to the Web?• What are the main pieces of that process?• Who can provide the tools to do that?

– commercial vs. free software– promises and costs– recommendations

• Data: examples from NHMLAC

Talk Outline

The flow of data to the Web

Collection withlabel and other data

Desktopdatabase

Databaseaccessiblefrom web

server

Desktopdatabase

server

Webserver

software

Desktopdatabase

The Web

server

Webserver

software

Web server hardware

What are the main piecesof that process?

Desktopdatabase

The Web

server

Webserver

software

Server operating system

Talk Outline

Who can provide the tools?

Commercial software vendors

Free or Open-Source software

Commercial software vendors

• Operating system– Microsoft Windows Server; Sun Solaris

• Web server– Microsoft IIS

• Database– Oracle; IBM DB/2; Microsoft SQL Server

• Web front-end software– Macromedia ColdFusion; Microsoft ASP

• “Free” as in “freedom” (and often in cost)

• Freedom to examine and enhance source code• Freedom to share any enhancements• Licensing so that “...it becomes an inalienable

right to cooperate with other people and form a community” Richard M. Stallman 2002

• Operating system– Linux; BSD

• Web server– Apache

• Database– MySQL; PostgreSQL

• Web front-end software– PHP; Mason

Promises and costs• Commercial software

– High initial cost– Full support for the end-user– Ease of use for users with little expertise

• Free or Open Source software– Low or zero initial cost– Support by the community of user/programmers– Reputation for requiring wizard-level expertise

– High initial cost ?

High initial costMicrosoft Windows Server 2003 (5 CAL) $844

(includes IIS web server)Microsoft SQL Server database $1226Total for the base server $2070 (required)

Microsoft 20 CAL Package $647 (optional)

Macromedia ColdFusion $799 (optional)

Dell 2600 low-end server (no software) $2598 (optional)

Total Startup Cost $2000 – $6000

High initial cost– Full support for the end-user ?

“Gives you peace of mind to have the support of an established web leader that offers world-class support, services, and a recognized Partner community to ensure your success.” Macromedia ColdFusion 2003

High initial cost Full support for the end-user– Ease of use for users with little expertise ?

High initial cost Full support for the end-user Ease of use for users with little expertise

“Any sophisticated software is going to take some expertise to run.” Me 2003

Promises and costs• Free or Open Source software

– Low or zero initial cost ?

Low or zero initial costRed Hat Linux $0

(includes Apache web server)MySQL database $0Total for the base server $0 (required)

Access licences $0

PHP or Mason $0

Scavenged desktop PC $0

Total Startup Cost $0

Low or zero initial cost– Support ?

Low or zero initial costSupport by the community of user/programmers

Low or zero initial costSupport by the community of user/programmers– Reputation for requiring wizard-level expertise ?

Low or zero initial costSupport by the community of user/programmers Reputation for requiring wizard-level expertise

High quality documentation is available

High initial cost Full support for the end-user Ease of use for users with little expertise

• Free or Open Source softwareLow or zero initial costSupport by the community of user/programmers Reputation for requiring wizard-level expertise

Talk Outline

Recommendations

• You will need to develop some expertise(or hire someone with expertise)

• Your choice:– develop expertise and pay for commercial software– develop expertise and use Free software

• Free software allows you to start small and tinker

Examples...

Example Server

20,000 – 40,000 complex accesses per day500 – 1000 Mbytes data distributed per day

Publishing collection data• The value of a collection comes from the

information in it and we must share that

• Commercial approaches have high initial cost and are not necessarily simpler

• You will need to develop (or hire) expertise• Free software lets you start small and grow later

Publishing collection data

• The bad news:You have no excuse for not having your collection data on the Web

• The good news:There’s no reason you can’t have your collection data on the Web

websites on a shoestring good cheap collection data publishing n. dean pentcheff regina wetzer

data flow

web serverthe flow of

datathe flow of data

sharedthe web

established web leader

lowend server

base server

webcollection withlabel

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