OLDaily

By Stephen Downes
November 3, 2004

The Role of Web Services Registries in Service Oriented Architecture
Good introduction to the concept. Outlines the use of different types of registries systems within a web services environment and identifies market leaders. PowerPoint; a PDF is also available. By Anne Thomas Manes, Burton Group, November 2, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Conveying Rights Expressions About Metadata in the OAI-PMH Framework
The Open Archives Initiative has released a draft specification describing rights expressions about metadata in the OAI-PMH framework. The mechanism essentially involves pointing to a rights language schema (OAI is neutral regarding which rights language is used) and then either embedding or referring to a rights expression from within a set of rights tags in the OAI metadata. The rights described apply specifically to the use of the metadata itself, not the resource described by the metadata (but you have to assume a similar mechanism for resources would be the way to go). For me, the important thing is the ability to point to a rights expression by reference rather than embedding it in the metadata. A parallel RSS implementation of a similar specification would also be reasonable. The accompanying press release is also available. By Various Authors, Open Archives Initiative, November 3, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

An Example of Using Metaphor in E-learning Design - The Research Observatory
I have written and spoken from time to time about the appropriate use of learning objects as being placed as elements in a 'learning environment' as opposed to joined together like bits of text as pages or chapters in an online course. This article and associated presentation represent large steps toward the sort of think I am talking about. Follow through the presentation to the end and you'll get a userid and password to enter a functioning reasearch observatory - some of the content is not complete, but a good example of the sort of organization that works is in the discussion of research methods at the bottom of the page in Room 3. The demo site is still pretty linear, and we could talk about concepts of environment design - but first steps first: let's begin by thinking about what the authors call 'pull' metaphors for online learning design. Technologists should note as well the methodologies for producing such an environment: XML authoring with a processor (they use Java but any language will do) plus XSLT for rendering. This group is doing a lot of things right. By Liz Falconer, Manuel Frutos-Perez and Yvonne Aburrow, Best Practices in E-Learning Showcase, November, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

The Millenials
This one came out a few days ago, but I keep forgetting to list it. No matter, it's here now, and will be of most interest to those interested in 'the new student'. This newsletter introduces the topic fairly effectively then points to a mixed bag of articles, ranging from the almost entirely fictitious (Clair Rains) to the useful Diana Oblinger). By Various Authors, Sidebars, September, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

pOWL
pOWL is a PHP, open source, web based semantic web editor targeting at making web based RDFS/OWL editing as easy as possible. As the authors of the website explain, "Although there is a bunch of OWL ontology editing and management solutions available, some of them are complicated to deploy or handle, some do not support strategies for collaborative, distributed development of ontologies, some are not Open Source or not available for the most distributed web technologies." By Sören Auer, SourceForge, November, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

The Personal RSS NewsReader: Project DU And RSS Publishing Possible Future Evolution
Coverage of a new cross-platform RSS newsreader, Project DU newsreader. But this item is more interesting for the discussion that follows outlining the features a really good newsreader would have, and even (for those of you with dollar signs in your eyes) suggestions on how to monetize it. By Luigi Canali De Rossi, Robin Good, October 31, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

The Blogs' Long Tail: Blogs And RSS Profit Potential
Robin Good summarizes, in his usual effective style, the Morgan Stanley analysis of RSS carried here last week, for those of you who don't want to read the entire document in analyst-speak. By Luigi Canali De Rossi, Robin Good, October 27, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

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