Developer discussion for Creative Commons technology and tools

[BjornW <burobjorn AT gmail.com>]

Hi Jonas et all,

I've been thinking about your question about the 'ideal' API and frankly
I don't have a very good answer: it depends on what you want to do with
it. In the context of the CC licenses my preference for the API is to
make my life easier as a developer. Not having to worry about
translations or fixes in the licenses that is.

Seen from this perspective **and I'm just thinking out loud** maybe an
addition to the current API would be the possibility to get a complete
in-browser chooser which can be automatically added to a webapp and is
easily updated from the API. So basically you'll have the complete
chooser as-is available from the partner url including translations
which you can cache. Every X times it pings the CC server to see if
there is a newer version of the chooser, et voila. Basically it would be
something in the middle ground between statically adding everything and
keeping it fully dynamic.

Anyways, for now the plugin is using the partner url. After I have the
other functionality done I may add the static option as well.

grtz
BjornW


On 22-10-13 22:07, Jonas Öberg wrote:
>
> Hi Bjorn,
>
> what would your ideal API look like? Maybe this is something that CC
> doesn't need to provide but which can be built separately as a support
> for other software developers?
>
> A larger group of people could then keep it updated and in line with
> official CC licenses, as well as opening up to supporting other
> licenses using the same interface.
>
> Sincerely,
> Jonas
>
> On 22 Oct 2013 21:43, "BjornW" <burobjorn AT gmail.com
> <mailto:burobjorn AT gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     Hi Dan,
>
>     Thanks for your explanation. I'm not sure the static approach is
>     as easy
>     as it seems. If we would use your suggested static approach, how would
>     you deal with:
>
>     - New localizations or updates in localizations?
>     - New jurisdictions or countries adapting CC licenses?
>     - Typos / small mistakes etc. in license (issues that do not merit
>     a new
>     version)
>
>     Basically the gist of my question is: How do I know, as a developer,
>     something has changed?
>
>     Using a dynamic API (incl partner url) keeping track of changes should
>     (hopefully) be done more or less automatic without having to build
>     a new
>     version of the plugin (and hoping users would keep up-to-date with new
>     versions). Not to mention making sure it's using officially endorsed
>     changes :)
>     With static builds it's up to me keeping track of changes in
>     licenses &
>     at this moment I'd not know how or where to look for this info.
>
>     So for now I'm leaning towards using a 'dynamic' API (incl partner
>     url)
>     approach, because it makes it more manageable for me now & (hopefully)
>     in the future.
>
>     Please keep this in mind before shutting down any API service.
>
>     All the best,
>
>     grtz
>     BjornW
>
>     On 22-10-13 21:04, Dan Mills wrote:
>     > I wasn't arguing for using one API over the other. I was arguing for
>     > simply bundling that info into the plugin and making no API calls at
>     > all during runtime. The licenses change so infrequently that the
>     > dynamic approach doesn't make sense to me.
>     >
>     > Maybe if we made the "API" a flat file, and you cached it on the
>     > client for a very long time, it could be OK. But running a
>     custom-made
>     > python service to serve up static data is a waste of resources, IMO.
>     >
>     > As for translations, the best scenario IMO is for you to check
>     out our
>     > i18n repository at build time. Next best thing would be for you
>     to get
>     > those strings translated together with the rest of your app.
>     >
>     > Dan
>     >
>     >
>     > On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 11:48 AM, BjornW <burobjorn AT gmail.com
>     <mailto:burobjorn AT gmail.com>> wrote:
>     >> @Dan/Tarmo: Well, it doesn't matter if we call the API or the
>     partner
>     >> URL, both are a call to CC.org Although to be fair the API will
>     probably
>     >> need a lot more back & forth going calls than just the - at
>     this moment
>     >> - one call to the CC partner URL. Anyways, I'll stick with the
>     partner
>     >> url for now.
>     >>
>     >> As for translations: I've read about an extra parameter to
>     include a
>     >> locale (the docs for the partner url use lang as parameter, but
>     the API
>     >> uses locales. As far as I understood these are not
>     necessarially the
>     >> same. Bug in docs?). If the locale does not exists will the
>     partner url
>     >> fallback to a different language/locale?
>     >>
>     >> @Diane: Looking forward to the launch plans, so we can 'add'
>     (mostly
>     >> test) the updated licenses to our plugin as well.
>     >>
>     >> Thanks,
>     >>
>     >> grtz
>     >> BjornW
>     >>
>     >> On 22-10-13 16:55, Diane Peters wrote:
>     >>> As for when the chooser will technically be ready, we have settled
>     >>> pretty much on the integration plan but we're waiting to
>     finish the
>     >>> legal code and some important collateral (updated FAQs, etc.).
>      The
>     >>> chooser and the new deeds will go live at the same time we
>     push the
>     >>> legal code live.  We're planning on updating affiliates and
>     this list
>     >>> shortly with launch plans.
>     >>>
>     >>> Diane
>     >>>
>     >>>
>     >>> On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 9:59 PM, Tarmo Toikkanen
>     >>> <tarmo.toikkanen AT iki.fi <mailto:tarmo.toikkanen AT iki.fi>
>     <mailto:tarmo.toikkanen AT iki.fi <mailto:tarmo.toikkanen AT iki.fi>>>
>     wrote:
>     >>>
>     >>>     I have to agree with Dan. We'll just use 4.0 licenses, and
>     have
>     >>>     all the information statically.
>     >>>
>     >>>     Although one extra bit: translations. We'd like to be able to
>     >>>     localize license names and explanations, and I imagine
>     >>>     translations will appear gradually, so we might need to
>     load these
>     >>>     dynamically - maybe have a button in the wp-admin side to
>     "load
>     >>>     translations for language X" or something like that.
>     >>>
>     >>>     Btw, when will 4.0 licenses be technically ready, as in,
>     in the
>     >>>     license chooser, and available online?
>     >>>
>     >>>     --
>     >>>     Tarmo Toikkanen
>     >>>     tarmo AT iki.fi <mailto:tarmo AT iki.fi> <mailto:tarmo AT iki.fi
>     <mailto:tarmo AT iki.fi>>
>     >>>     http://tarmo.fi
>     >>>
>     >>>     On Tuesday 22. 10 2013 at 6.40, Dan Mills wrote:
>     >>>
>     >>>>     Chiming into this a bit late... but I don't think there's
>     good reason
>     >>>>     to call out to a CC API for the WP plugin. Licenses
>     change very
>     >>>>     infrequently, there is no reason to introduce a dynamic
>     call of any
>     >>>>     kind at runtime just to populate the license options.
>     >>>>
>     >>>>     As for 4.0 changes, there are no infrastructure changes
>     required by
>     >>>>     4.0 per se, but I do think that (apropos the above as
>     well) we
>     >>>>     need to
>     >>>>     take a more critical look at all the stuff we host and
>     shut down /
>     >>>>     archive the pieces that are not widely used and are
>     unmaintained.
>     >>>>
>     >>>>     Dan
>     >>>>
>     >>>>
>     >>>>     On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 5:08 AM, BjornW
>     <burobjorn AT gmail.com <mailto:burobjorn AT gmail.com>
>     >>>>     <mailto:burobjorn AT gmail.com
>     <mailto:burobjorn AT gmail.com>>> wrote:
>     >>>>>     Hi Maarten,
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     No, not as far as I know. For now I've decided to
>     continue with the
>     >>>>>     partner url method for this plugin. Any news on (technical)
>     >>>>>     changes with
>     >>>>>     regards to CC 4.0?
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     grtz
>     >>>>>     BjornW
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     On 21-10-13 14:04, Maarten Zeinstra wrote:
>     >>>>>>     Has there been an answer to this yet?
>     >>>>>>
>     >>>>>>     Best,
>     >>>>>>
>     >>>>>>     Maarten
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     --
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     met vriendelijke groet,
>     >>>>>     Bjorn Wijers
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     * b u r o b j o r n .nl *
>     >>>>>     digitaal vakmanschap | digital craftsmanship
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     Werkdagen:
>     >>>>>     Van maandag t/m donderdag vanaf 10:00
>     >>>>>     Vrijdag is voor experimenteren en eigen projecten.
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     Postbus 14145
>     >>>>>     3508 SE Utrecht
>     >>>>>     The Netherlands
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     tel: +31 6 49 74 78 70
>     <tel:%2B31%206%2049%2074%2078%2070>
>     <tel:%2B31%206%2049%2074%2078%2070>
>     >>>>>     http://www.burobjorn.nl
>     >>>>>
>     >>>>>     _______________________________________________
>     >>>>>     cc-devel mailing list
>     >>>>>     cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>>
>     >>>>>     http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-devel
>     >>>>     _______________________________________________
>     >>>>     cc-devel mailing list
>     >>>>     cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>>
>     >>>>     http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-devel
>     >>>
>     >>>     _______________________________________________
>     >>>     cc-devel mailing list
>     >>>     cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org
>     <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>>
>     >>>     http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-devel
>     >>>
>     >>>
>     >>>
>     >>>
>     >>> --
>     >>> Diane M. Peters, CC General Counsel
>     >>> http://creativecommons.org/staff#dianepeters
>     >>> diane AT creativecommons.org <mailto:diane AT creativecommons.org>
>     <mailto:email%3Adiane AT creativecommons.org
>     <mailto:email%253Adiane AT creativecommons.org>>
>     >>>
>     >>>
>     >>> ______________________________________
>     >>>
>     >>> Please note: the contents of this email are not intended to be
>     legal
>     >>> advice nor should they be relied upon as, or represented to be
>     legal
>     >>> advice.
>     >>>
>     >>>
>     >>> _______________________________________________
>     >>> cc-devel mailing list
>     >>> cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>     >>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-devel
>     >>
>     >> --
>     >>
>     >> met vriendelijke groet,
>     >> Bjorn Wijers
>     >>
>     >> * b u r o b j o r n .nl *
>     >> digitaal vakmanschap | digital craftsmanship
>     >>
>     >> Werkdagen:
>     >> Van maandag t/m donderdag vanaf 10:00
>     >> Vrijdag is voor experimenteren en eigen projecten.
>     >>
>     >> Postbus 14145
>     >> 3508 SE Utrecht
>     >> The Netherlands
>     >>
>     >> tel: +31 6 49 74 78 70 <tel:%2B31%206%2049%2074%2078%2070>
>     >> http://www.burobjorn.nl
>     >>
>     >> _______________________________________________
>     >> cc-devel mailing list
>     >> cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>     >> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-devel
>
>
>     --
>
>     met vriendelijke groet,
>     Bjorn Wijers
>
>     * b u r o b j o r n .nl *
>     digitaal vakmanschap | digital craftsmanship
>
>     Werkdagen:
>     Van maandag t/m donderdag vanaf 10:00
>     Vrijdag is voor experimenteren en eigen projecten.
>
>     Postbus 14145
>     3508 SE Utrecht
>     The Netherlands
>
>     tel: +31 6 49 74 78 70 <tel:%2B31%206%2049%2074%2078%2070>
>     http://www.burobjorn.nl
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     cc-devel mailing list
>     cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org <mailto:cc-devel AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>     http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-devel
>


-- 

met vriendelijke groet,
Bjorn Wijers

* b u r o b j o r n .nl *
digitaal vakmanschap | digital craftsmanship

Werkdagen:
Van maandag t/m donderdag vanaf 10:00 
Vrijdag is voor experimenteren en eigen projecten.

Postbus 14145
3508 SE Utrecht
The Netherlands

tel: +31 6 49 74 78 70
http://www.burobjorn.nl