Date : Wed, 21 Nov 2001 01:54:41 +0000
From : "Brian Jones" <ninsei0@...>
Subject: Re: That BBC online database thing you all forgot about....
As part of continuing development of the BBC Connect project I've been
looking at a range of options for data access, including Internet access.
File transfer at this level requires either customising the front-end for an
existing Internet source or customisation and establishing new mirrored
sources with agreed standards. During my development work I'm happy to
explore the former. However, the latter option may provide new opportunities
for establishing common standards and pooling of data.
As a contribution towards establishing a framework of standards for the
latter, I would argue that the following features are appropriate:
- directories and content should be directly accessible via HTTP
- directories by named publisher (common titles to be established)
- title data reflecting the published software title
- optional application view snapshot - GIF of JPEG
- optional packaging scans - GIF or JPEG
- optional descriptive data (length to be established - 255 chars max?)
- optional instructions/user guides
- optional help sheets
These features provide for compatibility with any prospective developments
in BBC Connect or BeebEf, and should be useful for other emerging
applications such as any prospective development involving BeebEm. The
framework should also be useful for any Web based development.
Within the BBC Connect project, I am interested in exploring whether
functionality can be established with remote data to the same extent as is
currently available with local data. If achievable, the user would select
local or remote data for browsing within BBC Connect. I intend to look at a
range of options for accessing remote data, from dynamically reading
directory structures, importing comma-delimited directory and title lists,
etc. I am concerned to ensure that the options for access should be
sufficiently open-ended to enable others to contribute in parallel or
diverse ways.
Lastly, I would be happy to consider mutual sharing of ideas and
observations with others as projects develops.
Brian Jones
the BBC Connect project
>From: "Richard Gellman" <r.gellman@...>
>To: "BBC Micro Mailing List" <bbc-micro@...>
>Subject: [BBC-Micro] That BBC online database thing you all forgot
>about....
>Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2001 19:40:05 -0000
>
>I've just had an idea, based on an amalgamation of ideas from Chris
>Richardson, Thomas Harte, and Mark De Weger.
>
...
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