irail and opendata
DESCRIPTION
Presentation at the first HackDemocracy meetup in Brussels, December 2010. Presented by @pietercolpaertTRANSCRIPT
iRail and open data@pietercolpaert
Hack democracy
5 minutes
● Scraping● The law● Project problems
Why?
Really no other option?
DON'T wait● For big forms to be filled in● For officials to respond
DON'T talk too much about your ideas
DO
A Lot Of Laws
Different explanations for scraping
● Legal: «show data, differently» (~Browser)● +/-: «already public data»● Illegal: «steal data»
Public transport: iRail
● Second database law● Result of activity = no copyright
● Others don't agree?● iRail vzw/asbl/npo supports you!
But!
Who cares about laws?
Web2.0: If people like it
It's okay!
Just be awesome
Design problems
So much choice!
● Java servlets● PHP● Perl● Python● ...
?
● Limit dirtiness?● How modular?● Reusability?
Help each other!
● API● one time job● Open source
– Everyone helps fixing
● Patch «the» system!
Conclusion
● SCRAPE● When no other possibility
● WORK● Together!
● QUICK & DIRTY● But clean it up
Q&A
@pietercolpaertProject.iRail.be
Github.com/iRail