How artists can help RDFa (was Re: RDFa and Web Directions North 2009)

Thomas Earl Deforest wrote:
> I've just joined this group in the hopes of getting involved in the
> development of RDFa. I am excited about it's possibilities. I don't have
> much time but I do have four hours a week (most weeks) I could spend on
> anything that needs doing.

Most of us on this list, and that contribute to the Web in general, are
passionate Web volunteers... so you're in good company. That you're
willing to provide 4 hours here and there is fantastic! :)

> My background is in fine art and design, so I may not be the help that RDFa
> needs but maybe there is a unique contribution I can make. 

This, I believe, is -exactly- what RDFa needs right now - a generous
dose of creativity, visual communication, and design. We're desperate,
DESPERATE I tell you, for people with your skill-set. Technologists do a
fairly awful job at communicating their vision to the broader Web
community and this is an area that /you/ can make an impact in right now.

If you have friends that are artists, designers, film makers, print
makers, voice actors, animators, or are just plain good at creatively
communicating an idea - we need all of their help as well! Tell your
friends!

Here is where you can help right now:

1. The RDFa Blog (Wordpress) and Website (MediaWiki) are both using the
default theme. Awful stuff... looks fairly unprofessional. A unified
theme that is visually slick and simple/elegant would be great. The
Microformats community, specifically Ben Ward, has done a great job with
making the uF website look really good.

2. Cool designs for buttons, posters, wallpaper, t-shirts, hats, and mugs.

3. Animations or artwork describing what we're trying to do with RDFa
without scaring anybody away with RDFa.

4. Video/Audio describing what we're trying to do with RDFa without all
of the technical details.

5. Website-based tools that look great and that can generate markup for
People, Places, Events, Audio, Video, etc.

> I feel a real
> desire to support the development of RDFa. I feel semantic understanding on
> the part of the system could open a new chapter in our ability to
> communicate with each other via the internet.

Yes, absolutely! You're in the right place... could we have more details
on your skill-set and do you think you would be able to help with any of
the items above? No commitment - any help would be greatly appreciated.

-- manu

-- 
Manu Sporny
President/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
Scaling Web Services past 100,000 Simultaneous Connections
http://blog.digitalbazaar.com/2008/09/30/scaling-webservices-part-1

Received on Friday, 13 February 2009 20:43:01 UTC