[SPG_Active_Members] Interested in some technical fun and games?

[Henry Gladney]

I wonder whether you are interested in learning about and perhaps even
participating in a software project that I believe will eventually be of
interest to many cultural heritage institutions (research libraries,
archives, and museums) similar to the Computer History Museum in their
relationships with visitors/users.

The topic will be familiar to those of the addressees who heard a
presentation I made to the CHM Software Preservation Group over a year
ago--viz., long-term preservation of digital objects.

In principle, we know precisely how to meet every essential requirement.
What is missing is a reduction to practice to demonstrate this and to
persuade those who want a solution.  The project I have in mind will
accomplish this.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued an RFP for " *Sustainable
Digital Data Preservation and Access Network Partners
(DataNet)<http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503141>
* ".  See http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503141 .  I intend
to bid for an R&D contract within this initiative, collecting a small
collegial team to develop the necessary software in open source form,
collaborating with one or more museums or research libraries to build useful
demonstration collections (e.g., for university or secondary school
education), and deploying those publicly in the second year of the project.


I have in mind activating such a team only if the proposal is accepted by
NSF.   I.e., there would be modest compensation for time and expertise.  The
current note is a very early step towards putting together the small team
that I believe will be needed.  I believe that there is no need for team
members to reside close together.

It turns out that the amount of new software needed is surprisingly small.
You can learn why I believe this by looking at some of my publications or
pre-publication drafts.  See http://home.pacbell.net/hgladney/hmgpubs.htm#
_Toc517244717 .  (However, since this material was prepared for refereed
professional periodicals, it does not present a convenient high-level
description of the ideas or of the prospective project; I'm writing an
executive overview to overcome this deficiency.)

A tentative schedule for this work is:
      November 12, 2008  -- preliminary proposal due at NSF.
      May 15, 2009            -- complete formal proposal due at NSF.
      September 2009        -- beginning of funded software development
(estimate)
      First project year      -- SW development and testing; pilot services
for a few users
      Second project year  -- package several collections; deploy from
public repositories

If you are interested in learning more, please let me know.  Depending on
how many people respond (if any), we'll figure out how best to provide you
whatever information you want.

Please feel free to share this invitation with anyone you think might be
interested and qualified to participate.

Best wishes, Henry

H.M. Gladney, Ph.D.     HMG Consulting http://home.pacbell.net/hgladney/
(408)867-5454
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