This is the May 2016 edition of the Fedora Newsletter. This newsletter summarizes the most significant activities within the Fedora community over the last month.
Call for Action
Fedora is designed, built, used, and supported by the community. An easy and important way that you can contribute to the effort is by helping resolve outstanding bugs. If you have an interest in gaining a better understanding of the Fedora code base, or a specific interest in any of these bugs [1], please add a comment to a ticket and we can work together to move your interest forward.
Software development
Standards
Fedora API Specification
The Fedora community is working to establish a clearly defined specification for the core Fedora services. This specification will detail the exact services and interactions required for a server implementation to be verified as "doing Fedora".
The primary benefits of this specification include:
- Concrete and common understanding of Fedora's role in an institution's infrastructure ecosystem
- Stable, independently versioned Fedora RESTful API
- Opportunity for alternate Fedora implementations to support different use cases
Check out the wiki for a full description [2] of the Fedora specification initiative. You are invited to comment on and contribute to the draft specifications [3].
Community-driven Features
API Extension Architecture
API-X stakeholders met on March 18 [4] to discuss a number of topics, including an updated API-X architecture diagram [5] and a document on API-X patterns [6]. A Vagrant/Docker image [7] to demonstrate API-X proof-of-concept implementations was also discussed.
If you are interested in the API Extension Architecture, please join the discussion on the fedora-community mailing list [8] and attend the next meeting.
Performance and Scalability
Performance and Scalability stakeholders met on March 14 [9] to discuss performance benchmarks [10] and testing the new MySQL and PostgreSQL database options. A few tests have been run but the group identified a need for more community participation to execute and document the breadth of test scenarios.
If you are interested in Performance and Scalability, please join the discussion on the fedora-community mailing list [11] and attend the next meeting [12] on April 18.
Conferences and events
Upcoming Events
Previous Events
CNI
The annual CNI Spring meeting [14] will take place April 4-5 in San Antonio, TX. The meeting will include several project updates and briefings from members of the Fedora community, including an update on the Avalon Media System [15], and a project from Rutgers University Libraries that uses a Fedora repository to manage oceanographic data sets [16].
Museums and the Web
Museums and the Web [17] will take place April 6-9 in Los Angeles, CA. This year's conference features a presentation by Stefano Cossu (Art Institute of Chicago) and David Wilcox (DuraSpace) on Fedora as the heart of an open source digital asset management system for museums [18].
West Coast Fedora Camp
The West Coast Fedora Camp [19], hosted by the Caltech Library, will take place April 11-13 in Pasadena, CA. It is based on the inaugural Fedora Camp [20] that was held at Duke University in November. Training will begin with the basics and build toward more advanced concepts–no prior Fedora 4 experience is required. Participants can expect to come away with a deep dive Fedora 4 learning experience coupled with multiple opportunities for applying hands-on techniques working with experienced trainers and Fedora gurus. Registration is now full but please contact Kristi Searle [21] to have your name added to the waiting list and to be informed about future camps!
DC Area Fedora User Group Meeting
The next DC Area Fedora User Group Meeting [22] will take place April 27-28 at the National Library of Medicine and will include presentations, project updates, and discussions from local Fedora users. The second day of the event will be a Hydra/Fedora 4 workshop led by Esmé Cowles and David Wilcox. Attendance is free so please register in advance [23]!
References
[1]
