National Archives of Australia: Archives Viewer
"Say hello to the Archives Viewer (naming things isn't really one of my strengths). Instead of rewriting my existing script I decided to create a completely new web application. Why? Mainly because it gave me a lot more flexibility. I could also make use of a variety of existing tools and frameworks like Django, Bootstrap, Isotope and FancyBox. Standing upon the code of giants, I had the whole thing up and running in a single weekend. The code is available on GitHub.
What does it do? Simply put, just feed the Archives Viewer the barcode of a digitised file in RecordSearch and it grabs the metadata and images and displays them in a variety of useful ways. It's really pretty simple, both in execution and design.
Yep, there's a wall. It's not quite as spacey and zoom-y as the CoolIris version, but perhaps that's a good thing. It's just a flat wall of page image thumbnails with a bit of lightbox-style magic thrown in. But when I say just, well... look for yourself. There's something a bit magical about seeing all the pages of a file at once, taking in their shapes and colours as well as their content. This digital wall provides a strangely powerful reminder of the physical object.
Of course you can also view the file page by page if you want. Printing is a snap - just type in any combination of pages or page ranges and hit the button. The images and metadata are assembled ready to print. No more wondering 'which file did this print out come from?'.
But perhaps the most important feature is that each page has it's own unique, persistent url. Basic stuff, but oh, so important. With a good url you can share and cite. Find something exciting? Tell the world about it! I've included your typical social media share buttons to help you along."
(Tim Sherratt, 29 August 2012)
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
Jim Conallen: iterative web application design and development
"If you are looking for a cookie-cutter recipe to success, forget it. Developing applications is hard work and relies heavily on the skill and the ability of everyone involved. Even so, a strong process is important. Heroic efforts on the part of a development team can often bring a project to maturity; however, heroic efforts and strong process can do so repeatedly and reliably."
(Jim Conallen, 2002)
Jim Conallen (2002). "Building Web Applications with UML", (Addison-Wesley Object-Technology Series).
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
CAGD: in-house bespoke course management and e-portfolio tool
"The CAGD website was started in 2004, as a repository for research material from students on the BA Hons Contemporary Art Practices course (then BA Hons Contemporary Creative Practices), at Leeds Metropolitan University. It became apparently quite quickly though, that the tools that we'd developed would be useful for a lot more than simply collating material, and as more courses were included into the system it has grown to become a fully-functioning online e-portfolio, course management, social network, reflective journal and collaborative space, with (to date) more than 350,000 pieces of work and research and 1,000 active daily users."
(Graham Hibbert, 19 January 2012)
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
Veengle: online tool for creating video compilations
"You can create video compilations and share it with friends. You can share your created videos almost anywhere (e.g. to your website, your blog, other social networking websites).
During Beta stage, Veengle will handle only youtube videos. When the full version is ready, users will be able to upload their videos directly to Veengle."
(Veengle)
[It's a great little tool - despite it's amateur interface aesthetics.]
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
Dribbble: a show and tell web application for designers
"Dribbble is a community of designers answering that question each day. Web designers, graphic designers, illustrators, icon artists, typographers, logo designers, and other creative types share small screenshots that show their work, process, and current projects.
Dribbble is a place to show and tell, promote, discover, and explore design."
(Rich Thornett & Dan Cederholm)
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
