Yes I think you are right a REST section would be good but.... What is REST? In a way the TAPIR specification (especially in its lighter versions) is 'just' a common REST specification. You pass it parameters over HTTP and you get back data as XML. On the other hand TAPIR seems more complex than just putting a REST service together. Perhaps because doing anything that meets a specification rather than just what comes to hand is going to be harder. Perhaps Renato may have comments on this.
I have actually just done a REST/JSON service for BCI.
I am nervous because it is totally not TDWG standards compliant and just a useful thing for getting data back for mashups and embedding. Effectively exposing the database to client side applications. From an engineering point of view it is dead simple - a single PHP file (within the Zend Framework). To write code to consume this is trivial (there is an example) but it is bespoke. a major thing is that the return type is JSON which I think many people think of a standard data format for REST type services.
So it would be a good to get some clarification on what we mean by REST.
Does REST tend to imply a particular return type?
If we mean REST/JSON does anyone have an idea how we could get some data typing in a JSON object so that a consuming application could tell that it is a representation of a DwC object or something from the TDWG ontology? Service description is also an issue. We end up re- inventing TAPIR if we aren't careful.
I am sure it would be trivial to wrap a TAPIR provider in something that converted the XML output to JSON enabling it to act as a data source for client mashups.
As usual I'd be grateful for opinions on this. Perhaps we should talk in Fremantle.
All the best,
Roger
On 3 Oct 2008, at 02:56, Richardson, Ben wrote:
Yes, I agree
REST seems a lot easier to implement, and at least having some information on how REST fits in would be helpful.
Cheers, Ben -----Original Message----- From: tdwg-tag-bounces@lists.tdwg.org [mailto:tdwg-tag-bounces@lists.tdwg.org ]On Behalf Of Kevin Richards Sent: Friday, 3 October 2008 6:29 To: Technical Architecture Group mailing list; Roger Hyam Subject: Re: [tdwg-tag] TAG Roadmap for 2008 - Job vacancy!
Just a thought...
REST based services seem to be gaining a lot of momentum lately, so I wonder if we should mention them in the RoadMap ?? I would at least like to bring up the subject at some point during the TDWG meeting, and look at how REST may fit in with LSIDs, etc.
Kevin
Roger Hyam rogerhyam@mac.com 30/09/2008 11:02 p.m. >>>
Dear TAG Member,
With kind support from others I have now pulled together what I believe is the text for the 2008 Roadmap. I will polish this some more but do not plan to change it radically. This will be presented to the conference in Fremantle next month as the output of the TAG.
http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/TAG/RoadMap2008
Please take a few moments to read this through and edit or comment on the list if you don't agree with it or think anything is missing. I will take silence as assent!
On or around the 8th October I will convert the wiki page into a PDF and start distributing it.
I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I wish to stand down as convener of the TAG as of the Fremantle conference. I believe it would be good for the TAG and TDWG to have some fresh blood in this position. I still hope to continue contributing to TDWG but perhaps in different ways.
The procedure for choosing a new convener is somewhat vague but I believe it should be done through group consensus. Perhaps we could start a discussion on this list and those who are coming to Fremantle could discuss it further.
Who do you think should take this forward? Would you like to take this forward?
All the best,
Roger
Roger Hyam Roger@BiodiversityCollectionsIndex.org http://www.BiodiversityCollectionsIndex.org
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, UK Tel: +44 131 552 7171 ext 3015 Fax: +44 131 248 2901 http://www.rbge.org.uk/
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------------------------------------------------------------- Roger Hyam Roger@BiodiversityCollectionsIndex.org http://www.BiodiversityCollectionsIndex.org ------------------------------------------------------------- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, UK Tel: +44 131 552 7171 ext 3015 Fax: +44 131 248 2901 http://www.rbge.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------------