BUILDING HIGHWAYS IN THE INFORMATICS LANDSCAPEEd Baker 10.6084/m9.figshare.749699

We need to move from this…

…to this

HOW?

All of these systems:

• Have different data models

• Are written in different programming languages

• Are mutually incompatible

How do we make these systems talk?

Requirements

How do we make these systems talk?

Requirements

Each pair can define a way of

communicating with each other

How do we make these systems talk?

Requirements

How do we make these systems talk?

Requirements

We need a lingua franca of biodiversity informatics

Requirements

We need a lingua franca of biodiversity informatics

Requirements

Any language that is widely used as a means of communication

among speakers of other languages.

Requirements

Common Intermediary

Easily understood• People• Machines

Easy to share• Using existing technology and infrastructure

Requirements

Easily understood• People• Machines

Easy to share• Using existing technology and infrastructure

Can read in Excel

Requirements

Easily understood• People• Machines

Easy to share• Using existing technology and infrastructure

Can read in Excel

Everything precisely defined

Requirements

Easily understood• People• Machines

Easy to share• Using existing technology and infrastructure

Can read in Excel

Everything precisely defined

Standard formats: csv, zipStandard delivery: via the web

Requirements

Core File

(classification)

Core File

(classification)

Images

Literature

Specimens

Taxonomic treatments

Core File

(classification)

Images

Literature

Specimens

Taxonomic treatments

Core File

(classification)

Images

Literature

Specimens

Taxonomic treatments

STAR SCHEMA

Core File

(classification)

Images

Literature

Specimens

Taxonomic treatments

Meta.xml

Core File

(classification)

Images

Literature

Specimens

Taxonomic treatments

Meta.xmlWhat is each file?

What does each column in a file contain?

Core File

(classification)

Images

Literature

Specimens

Taxonomic treatments

Meta.xml

dwca.zip

dwca.zip

dwca.zip

dwca.zip

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT?

dwca.zipdwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip

dwca.zipdwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip

dwca.zipdwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip

?

These images came from the Scratchpad

These images came from the Scratchpad

So did this description

This map didn’t

Aggregators allow us to…

• provide a single user interface to many different systems.

• search easily across multiple datasets simultaneously (and combine results).

You can also share data with …

You can also share data with …

ANY OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE STANDARD