[PRCo] Re: PRCo Photo Wiki?

Fri May 25 11:34:57 EDT 2012

I have a server and space I can put it on.  I've always wanted to interface
it with a map.  I know there is a Gallery2 plugin for that (
http://swparails.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=map.ShowMap) (My father's
site).
There are a lot of options if we were to decide to do this.  I would be
more than happy to maintain it.

Jim

On Thu, May 24, 2012 at 9:36 PM, Jim Keener <jimktrains at gmail.com> wrote:

> Not sure about Picasso, probably some weird joint ownership with Google.
> Wikipedia must be CC or public domain.
>
> I/we could host a mediawiki site and have the licensing we deem fit. I've
> hosted mediawiki before. It's fairly easy once you put the antibot stuff on.
>
> Jim
> --
> Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
>
>
> Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> Mr.Iannucci,
>> This sounds very interesting.ï¿½ Your request is like committee work
>> where we put all options on the table regardless of validity, regardless
>> of importance.ï¿½ This is then whittled to a final form isn't it.
>>
>> If Picasa or Wikipedia offer what is requested, why not use one of
>> these sites rather than create something new?ï¿½ I am skeptical of
>> using a commercial site for a variety of reasons; license agreements
>> for such are vague if not intimidating.ï¿½ What right would Picasa or
>> Wiki have to the photos?ï¿½ As with most things in life these can be used
>> for good and bad.
>>
>> An individual maintaining the hardware to operate this runs into costs
>> and managing challenges.ï¿½ Being called out for any kind of emergency
>> leaves the hardware open to attack and possible failure without
>> explanation doesn't it.
>>
>> It only
>> seems logical that any and every photo should be properly dated
>> and identified doesn't it.ï¿½ Have you taken a look at the photo archive
>> page?ï¿½ It is unusual to have photos identified isn't it.
>>
>> As to 'stories'--this seems open to interpretation.ï¿½ This sounds like
>> 'comments' to alleged news articles which tend to be bizarre don't they.
>> Comments as to the times, settings, and other 'pertinent' information
>> is very appropriate, but random and rambling 'stories' of a fuzzy feel
>> good nature are only nice when used very sparingly.ï¿½ This would literally
>> be open to anyone on the web to post comments; in all honesty, that
>> does not sound appealing.
>>
>>
>> If it is to be something available for research then it seems like someone
>> should take a very active role in managing all the elements so the
>> information with each picture is appropriate.ï¿½ In reality, the most qualified
>> person / organization for same would be
>> the museum would it not.ï¿½ The
>> page / pages should not be open to correction by anyone at whim.
>>
>> Who would be doing this 'research' and for what reasons?ï¿½ As it stands
>> with the internet far more is available at our fingertips than before computers
>> isn't it.ï¿½ This proposal would still be one of many with Prc information, not
>> an end-all.ï¿½ It seems only those specifically interested in the Prc would
>> search for such; how many of us are there?ï¿½ How many will there be in
>> another couple decades?ï¿½ The numbers are dwindling to justify any real
>> effort.
>>
>>
>> I am sure you are aware of the many efforts to bring Prc books to market.
>> While it might be argued the internet has made books obsolete the same
>> was said of newspapers when radio appeared; newspapers survived only
>> to be upstaged by the internet.ï¿½ Within the past week or two announcements
>> here list 2-sets of Prc books due imminently, each 2-volumes.ï¿½
>> One set of
>> these books has been in preparation for 15-20-years hasn't it.ï¿½ Some other
>> books on Prc are apparently suspect in many ways, more ways than is
>> acceptable for something 'in print.'ï¿½ The same can be said of an 'internet
>> book' if we may call this proposal such.ï¿½ The content needs to be very
>> specific, a repeat of what I already wrote but no less important.
>>
>> It is an interesting proposal which can't be dismissed on a right / wrong
>> basis but rather depends upon the time, resources, and interest available
>> to produce such an internet book.ï¿½ It is very easy to write about good
>> ideas isn't it; it is very much another thing to put it together and make
>> it happen.
>>
>>
>> Phil
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> > From: Bob Iannucci <bob at rail.com>
>> >To: pittsburgh-railways <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org>
>> >Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 6:13 PM
>> >Subject:
>> [PRCo] PRCo Photo Wiki?
>> >
>> >All,
>> >I have appreciated the many photos and stories from this group, and I've
>> >enjoyed the various
>> >photo websites showcasing Pittsburgh's rich trolley history.ï¿½ And, of
>> >course, the PTM is a wonderful
>> >resource for those who have the opportunity to visit.ï¿½ For me out here on
>> >the west coast, I am quite
>> >reliant on the online resources - this group and the websites.
>> >
>> >I have repeatedly felt that there is a need for something more, however.
>> >The various photo websites,
>> >or at least those that are still online, are fairly static, and only the
>> >owners can contribute.ï¿½ This group
>> >is great, but email with attached (or semi-attached) photos makes
>> >researching hard.ï¿½ I have seen others
>> >expressing the same thought ("I know it was discussed here a while ago...
>> >I know there was a photo
>> >that was posted
>> a while back...").
>> >
>> >I imagine something that is just a little more organized than this email
>> >list, and something that is a little
>> >more community-maintained than the photo websites.ï¿½ I am thinking of a
>> >photo wiki, not unlike Wikipedia,
>> >but devoted specifically to PRCo.ï¿½ Think of one page per photo, with
>> >commentary from anyone who
>> >wants to contribute a relevant story.ï¿½ We have had LOTS of good stories in
>> >this group.ï¿½ But in addition
>> >to the photo, the photo credit, and the stories, I am thinking that each
>> >page should also have a way to
>> >indicate the date of the photo and the location.
>> >
>> >This structure offers several advantages.ï¿½ The photo and the related
>> >stories will live together on a web page
>> >and can be easily found by search tools.ï¿½ The date and location information
>> >offer the hope that we could provide
>> >the ability
>> to search by date range and/or by location.ï¿½ Picasa and some of
>> >the other attach-photo-to-location
>> >sites come close to this ideal.ï¿½ A friend of mine in San Francisco is
>> >thinking of something similar that
>> >he calls Pastmapper.ï¿½ So, perhaps there is a way to get this functionality
>> >using some off-the-shelf technology.
>> >Or perhaps someone is already at work doing this and I just have not heard
>> >of it yet.
>> >
>> >I'd be willing to host such a site and support the underlying machinery.
>> >But that alone is not enough.
>> >In order to be a success, it needs community commitment to generate and
>> >maintain the content.ï¿½ If the
>> >more prolific contributors to this group were willing to upload their
>> >photos and paste in the stories
>> >that they have written, I feel we would be off to a great start.
>> >
>> >So, my question is, what do you think?
>> >
>> >Bob
>> >
>>
>>