Re: Review of Next.Data.gov

Thanks Brand.

The current data set categories are ('Education','Energy','Finance','Global Development','Health','Research','Safety')  and 'All Communities' -- not yet implemented, and I hope for the sake of semantic sanity they are in no hurry. The problem with  "the same old data" is the misconception that the new has worn off the package (and that somehow makes a difference), confluent with a Civil Servant's personal motivation to "show they can advertise" to make their CV more attractive to Private Sector Employers.

You can have both, but must realize there is a difference between Category inflation and Term inflation.  "The best Wisconsin EVER!" is the Wisconsin we've got.  The "old package" problem is more abstract.  For example, ore and mine tailing samples from Gold, Silver and Copper mines have been sitting in Assay Office basements for over a century.  Somebody got the brilliant idea of assaying the *samples* for Rare Earths which is much much more efficient than going out and collecting samples again.  This belongs in the Semantic Technology Hall of Fame ... 5 Dysprosium Star Linked Data :-)

--Gannon  

________________________________
 From: Brand Niemann <bniemann@cox.net>
To: public-egov-ig@w3.org 
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 4:45 AM
Subject: Review of Next.Data.gov
 


Announcement: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/07/16/first-look-nextdatagov
 
Next.Data.gov is far from complete (think of it as a very early beta), but we couldn’t wait to share our design approach and the technical details behind it – knowing that we need your help to make it even better.
 
New Site: http://next.data.gov/
 
Information Week (Wyatt Kash) http://www.informationweek.com/government/policy/datagov-gets-updated-a-closer-look/240158634?cid=nl_IW_cio_2013-06-26_html
 
Version 2.0 of government's data portal relies heavily on open-source platforms, but finding usable data can still be like looking for buried treasure.
 
But in many respects, the new site is also likely to disappoint die-hard data users as being not much more than a shiny new showroom attached to the same old government data warehouse, a warehouse still in need of operating improvements and accessible data.
 
Semantic Community (Brand Niemann): Just as I thought, using the following click trail as an example:
 
Start at: http://next.data.gov/ 
pick a Community like Safety: http://next.data.gov/safety 
pick Resources: http://next.data.gov/safety/safety-resources/ 
pick the National Map: http://nationalmap.gov/viewer.html 
then Click here to go to The National Map Viewer 
and Download Platform!: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ 
and you finally get to the data and its display
 
Bottom line: This is yet another new interface to the old Data.gov interface that eventually takes you (if you are lucky enough to find it) to where the actual data has been for years!
 
My current efforts for OMB are just starting: http://semanticommunity.info/Data_Science/Free_Data_Visualization_and_Analysis_Tools