Philosophy/Manifestos-for-the-Internet-Age
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content/manifestos/2011-02-03-A-DIY-Data-Manifesto.txt
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# A DIY Data Manifesto # A DIY Data Manifesto
## By Scott Gilbertson ## By Scott Gilbertson
The word “server” is enough to send all but the hardiest nerds The word "server" is enough to send all but the hardiest nerds
scurrying for cover. scurrying for cover.
The word usually conjures images of vast, complex data farms, The word usually conjures images of vast, complex data farms,
databases and massive infrastructures. True, servers are all those databases and massive infrastructures. True, servers are all those
things — but at a more basic level, they’re just like your desktop PC. things — but at a more basic level, they're just like your desktop PC.
Running a server is no more difficult than starting Windows on your Running a server is no more difficult than starting Windows on your
desktop. That’s the message Dave Winer, forefather of blogging and desktop. That's the message Dave Winer, forefather of blogging and
creator of RSS, is trying to get across with his EC2 for Poets creator of RSS, is trying to get across with his EC2 for Poets
project. The name comes from Amazon’s EC2 service and classes common project. The name comes from Amazon's EC2 service and classes common
in liberal arts colleges, like programming for poets or computer in liberal arts colleges, like programming for poets or computer
science for poets. The theme of such classes is that anyone — even a science for poets. The theme of such classes is that anyone — even a
poet — can learn technology. poet — can learn technology.
Winer wants to demystify the server. “Engineers sometimes mystify what Winer wants to demystify the server. "Engineers sometimes mystify what
they do, as a form of job security,” writes Winer, “I prefer to make they do, as a form of job security," writes Winer, "I prefer to make
light of it… it was easy for me, why shouldn’t it be easy for everyone?” light of it… it was easy for me, why shouldn't it be easy for everyone?"
To show you just how easy it is to set up and run a server, Winer has To show you just how easy it is to set up and run a server, Winer has
put together an easy-to-follow tutorial so you too can set up a put together an easy-to-follow tutorial so you too can set up a
Windows-based server running in the cloud. Winer uses Amazon’s EC2 Windows-based server running in the cloud. Winer uses Amazon's EC2
service. For a few dollars a month, Winer’s tutorial can have just service. For a few dollars a month, Winer's tutorial can have just
about anyone up and running with their own server. about anyone up and running with their own server.
In that sense Winer’s EC2 for Poets if already a success, but In that sense Winer's EC2 for Poets if already a success, but
education and empowerment aren’t Winer’s only goals. “I think it’s education and empowerment aren't Winer's only goals. "I think it's
important to bust the mystique of servers,” says Winer, “it’s important to bust the mystique of servers," says Winer, "it's
essential if we’re going to break free of the ‘corporate blogging essential if we're going to break free of the ‘corporate blogging
silos.’” silos.'"
The corporate blogging silos Winer is thinking of are services like The corporate blogging silos Winer is thinking of are services like
Twitter, Facebook and WordPress. All three have been instrumental in Twitter, Facebook and WordPress. All three have been instrumental in
@ -44,15 +44,15 @@ disappear tomorrow.
But the web will likely never be completely free of centralized But the web will likely never be completely free of centralized
services and Winer recognizes that. Most people will still choose services and Winer recognizes that. Most people will still choose
convenience over freedom. Twitter’s user interface is simple, easy to convenience over freedom. Twitter's user interface is simple, easy to
use and works on half a dozen devices. use and works on half a dozen devices.
Winer doesn’t believe everyone will want to be part of the distributed Winer doesn't believe everyone will want to be part of the distributed
web, just the dedicated. But he does believe there are more people who web, just the dedicated. But he does believe there are more people who
would choose a DIY path if they realized it wasn’t that difficult. would choose a DIY path if they realized it wasn't that difficult.
Winer isn’t the only one who believes the future of the web will be Winer isn't the only one who believes the future of the web will be
distributed systems that aren’t controlled by any single corporation distributed systems that aren't controlled by any single corporation
or technology platform. Microformats founder Tantek Çelik is also or technology platform. Microformats founder Tantek Çelik is also
working on a distributed publishing system that seeks to retain all working on a distributed publishing system that seeks to retain all
the cool features of the social web, but remove the centralized the cool features of the social web, but remove the centralized
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and want to experiment. and want to experiment.
So while you can get your EC2 server up and running today — and even So while you can get your EC2 server up and running today — and even
play around with Winer’s River2 news aggregator — the real goal is play around with Winer's River2 news aggregator — the real goal is
further down the road. Winer’s vision is a distributed web where further down the road. Winer's vision is a distributed web where
everything is loosely coupled. “For example,” Winer writes, “the roads everything is loosely coupled. "For example," Winer writes, "the roads
I drive on with my car are loosely-coupled from the car. I might drive I drive on with my car are loosely-coupled from the car. I might drive
a SmartCar, a Toyota or a BMW. No matter what car I choose I am free a SmartCar, a Toyota or a BMW. No matter what car I choose I am free
to drive on the Cross-Bronx Expressway, Sixth Avenue or the Bay Bridge.” to drive on the Cross-Bronx Expressway, Sixth Avenue or the Bay Bridge."
Winer wants to start by creating a loosely coupled, distributed Winer wants to start by creating a loosely coupled, distributed
microblogging service like Twitter. “I’m pretty sure we know how to microblogging service like Twitter. "I'm pretty sure we know how to
create a micro-blogging community with open formats and protocols and create a micro-blogging community with open formats and protocols and
no central point of failure,” he writes on his blog. no central point of failure," he writes on his blog.
For Winer that means decoupling the act of writing from the act of For Winer that means decoupling the act of writing from the act of
publishing. The idea isn’t to create an open alternative to Twitter, publishing. The idea isn't to create an open alternative to Twitter,
it’s to remove the need to use Twitter for writing on Twitter. Instead it's to remove the need to use Twitter for writing on Twitter. Instead
you write with the tools of your choice and publish to your own server. you write with the tools of your choice and publish to your own server.
If everyone publishes first to their own server there’s no single If everyone publishes first to their own server there's no single
point of failure. There’s no fail whale, and no company owns your point of failure. There's no fail whale, and no company owns your
data. Once the content is on your server you can then push it on to data. Once the content is on your server you can then push it on to
wherever you’d like — Twitter, Tumblr, WordPress of whatever the site wherever you'd like — Twitter, Tumblr, WordPress of whatever the site
du jour is ten years from now. du jour is ten years from now.
The glue that holds this vision together is RSS. Winer sees RSS as the The glue that holds this vision together is RSS. Winer sees RSS as the
ideal broadcast mechanism for the distributed web and in fact he’s ideal broadcast mechanism for the distributed web and in fact he's
already using it — Winer has an RSS feed of links that are then pushed already using it — Winer has an RSS feed of links that are then pushed
on to Twitter. No matter what tool he uses to publish a link, it’s on to Twitter. No matter what tool he uses to publish a link, it's
gathered up into a single RSS feed and pushed on to Twitter. gathered up into a single RSS feed and pushed on to Twitter.
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