XML

Google Docs is a free, web-based service provided by Google for word processing and the creation of spreadsheets, presentations, forms and drawings. The cloud-computing application allows users to create, edit, upload, share and store data online in a variety of file formats similar to any office suite.

Features:

Shared folders and multiple file uploads with an individual file storage limit of 1GB.
Allows multiple users to create and update live documents in collaboration.
Translation and detection of up to 40 languages online and offline as well as dictionary definitions.
Supported on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and mobile browsers.
Available in 48 languages.
Automatic saving of open documents with revision history.
Insertion and editing of mathematical equations and symbols in documents.
Snap-to grid guides for automatic object alignment.
A choice of 70 themes to add colour to surveys and questionnaires created with forms.
Improved find-and-replace toolbar.
Strict and lenient levels of validation in spreadsheets for controlled project collaboration.
New version will include a chat function as well as drag-and-drop columns and editable formula bars in spreadsheets.

A&H use case 1 description:

The project provides free MP3 streaming and downloadable recordings of performances by British and Irish musicians made between 1900 and 1950, accessible through an online search interface. Around 2000 recordings from King's College archives were digitised and made accessible alongside almost 3000 digitised recordings from the CHARM project (Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music).

Creator:

Google Inc

Data capture:

Manual input and transcription

Communication and collaboration:

Textual interaction (asynchronous)

Specifications:

Portable Document Format (PDF)

XML

HTML

Excel Document (.xsl)

Powerpoint Document (.ppt)

Rich Text Format (RT)

Image Documents (.jpg) (.gif) (.png) (.tiff) (.bmp) Open Office

Word Document (.doc)

lifecycleStage:

creation

structuring

Data publishing and dissemination:

Collaborative publishing

Alternate tool(s):

Buzzword, Zoho, ThinkFree

Tags:

Platform:

JavaScript enabled browser

Licence:

Free

Software/programming languages used:

Google Docs

By danafarra at Tue, 08/06/2010 - 11:33

Read more about Google Docs

tool: QuarkXPress

Purpose:

QuarkXPress desktop publishing software is commonly used to create page layouts for a variety of print publications such as books, newspapers, magazines, posters and brochures.

Similar in function to InDesign, the main differences are Quark's unique features for exporting documents as interactive webpages as well as its widespread use by printers, typesetters and page designers.

Features:

Enables the production of HTML and XML content without the need to convert or refine documents
Supports direct PDF importing and outputing according to regulations
Fully supports Adobe Photoshop files, avoiding complicated and time-consuming conversions
Uses OpenType and Unicode, making font and character settings easy
Free TypeTricks XTension locates overset text boxes as well as widows and orphans
Presents intuitive colour-management tools that includes the unique option of hexachrome printing
Allows the customisation of line and border dashes and stripes as well as the merging of boxes to generate complex shapes
Text runaround for hidden layers may be turned off
Shared Content instantly incorporates any text or graphic changes consistently throughout a project
XPress Composition Zones allow team members to work simulatenously on a project, with all modifications being updated instantly
Job jackets keep print job specifications consistent throughout the project, ensuring their clarity and memorability

A&H use case 1 description:

The Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music (DIAMM) project used QuarkXPress alongside other tools to create an electronic archive of medieval polyphonic music images. The purpose of the archive is to allow detailed study of the music and its sources as well as to ensure their preservation.

Creator:

Quark Inc

Software/programming languages used:

Quark Xpress

Data publishing and dissemination:

Desktop publishing and pre-press

General website development

Collaborative publishing

Specifications:

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Unicode

PhotoShop Document (PSD)

QuarkXpress Document (QXD)

Platform:

Discipline:

Data structuring and enhancement:

2d modelling - raster

Tags:

2d graphic design

Desktop publishing and pre-press

Alternate tool(s):

Adobe InDesign

Practice-led research:

2d graphic design

Licence:

commercial

lifecycleStage:

publishing

By danafarra at Wed, 02/06/2010 - 09:57

Read more about QuarkXPress

tool: Plone

Purpose:

Plone is a powerful, flexible, open source Content Management System (CMS) built on top of Zope application server and CMF.

Features:

• Flexible and adaptable workflow
• Customisable
• Free add-ons
• Versioning, history and reverting content
• Support for multiple mark up formats
• Multilingual content management
• RSS feed support
• WebDAV and FTP support
• WYSIWYG

A&H use case 1 description:

The “Concordia” project has used Plone to run the Pleiades website.

Creator:

Alexander Limi, Alan Runyan, and Vidar Andersen

Publisher:

Plone Foundation

Data publishing and dissemination:

Desktop publishing and pre-press

General website development

Specifications:

Suite:

Software/programming languages used:

Tags:

Alternate tool(s):

Automne, Drupal, Joomla

Licence:

GNU General Public License

lifecycleStage:

creation

publishing

Platform:

All major operating systems

By Valentina Asciutti at Mon, 19/04/2010 - 11:14

Read more about Plone

tool: Solr

Purpose:

Solr is an open source enterprise search platform from the Apache Lucene project. It operates as a standalone full-text search server within an appropriate servlet container, such as Tomcat. Solr uses the Lucene Java search library at its core for full-text indexing and search, and has REST-like HTTP/XML and JSON APIs that make it easy to use from virtually any programming language.

Features:

• May be tailored to many types of application with minimal programming knowledge
• Extensive plug-in support
• Full-text indexing and search

A&H use case 1 description:

The “British Cartoon Archive Digitisation (BCAD)” project has used Solr to deliver the search results and metadata.

Creator:

CNET Networks

Publisher:

Apache Software Foundation

Data analysis:

Searching and querying

Topic Detection and Tracking

Specifications:

Software/programming languages used:

Solr

Apache SOLR

Suite:

Apache

Data structuring and enhancement:

Cataloguing and indexing

Alternate tool(s):

Sphynx

Tags:

Licence:

lifecycleStage:

Platform:

By Valentina Asciutti at Mon, 19/04/2010 - 10:40

Read more about Solr

tool: CONTENTdm

Purpose:

CONTENTdm is digital collection management software that allows for the upload, description, management and access of digital collections.

CONTENTdm is mostly used by libraries, archives, museums, government agencies, universities, corporations, historical societies, and other organizations that wish to host a digital collection.

Features:

• supports numerous industry standards including Unicode, Z39.50, Qualified Dublin Core, VRA, XML, JPEG2000 and OAI-PMH
• flexible and fully customisable
• integration with OCLC products
• not limited by format

A&H use case 1 description:

The “First World War Poetry Digital Archive” project has used CONTENTdm to form the backend of the archive of highly valued primary material from major poets of the First World War period.

Creator:

CISO, Center for Information Systems Optimization

Publisher:

OCLC

Software/programming languages used:

CONTENTdm

Data analysis:

Indexing

Content analysis

Searching and querying

Topic Detection and Tracking

Specifications:

Platform:

Discipline:

Librarianship, Information & Museum Studies

Data structuring and enhancement:

Cataloguing and indexing

Alternate tool(s):

Fedora Commons, DigiTool, MetaStar

Tags:

tool: Ruby on Rails

Purpose:

Ruby on Rails, often shortened to Rails or RoR, is a web development framework written in the Ruby language.
It is intended to be used with an Agile development methodology that is used by web developers for rapid development.

Ruby on Rails is separated into various packages, namely ActiveRecord (an object-relational mapping system for database access), ActiveResource (provides web services), ActionPack, ActiveSupport and ActionMailer.

Features:

• uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture pattern to organise application programming
• MySQL, SQLite, and Postgres support
• opinionated software
• RESTful architecture
• Convention over Configuration (CoC) principle
• Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY) principle

A&H use case 1 description:

The “First World War Poetry Digital Archive” project has used Ruby on Rails to embed browse and search functionality to the website.

Creator:

David Heinemeier Hansson

Publisher:

Rails Core Team

Data publishing and dissemination:

Web browser scripting

General website development

Specifications:

XML

HTML