I'm Interested in Developing Semantic Web Packages for PEAR

Hi,

I am interested in developing Semantic Web packages for
PEAR. Specifically,
I'd like to build an RDF API. I see that PEAR already has
RDF functionality,
but I'm not sure if it is a fully developed package. Without
meaning to
criticize the work that the developers have done on the
package, I see
several points that make me think that a better RDF API can
be developed:
1. The 4 RDF packages are listed as not maintained.
2. They appear to be in 0.1.0 Alpha release.
3. They are ports of another API that has since implemented
many more
features.
4. No releases have been made in almost 3 years.

Can anyone provide information on these packages, since they
appear to be
stagnant? Also, I'd like to propose that PEAR begin to
develop its own API
for Semantic Web tools. If my understanding is correct and
that the current
4 RDF API ports in PEAR are not in active use, I would like
to volunteer to
begin work on an RDF package, with the goal of replacing
these packages. Can
anyone provide me with information about how I can work on
this within the
PEAR organization? Does PEAR support packages that are only
beginning to
develop?

Is anyone interested in working on this with me?

I am new to the PEAR development group, but not to PHP. A
bit about me and
my motivations: I am an undergraduate Computer Science
student at Georgetown
University in Washington, D.C. I have been writing PHP
scripts for about 4
years. I also work on software development in other
languages (C++, Java,
etc.), study computer science in my spare time, and dabble
in AI research
through my school. One area of interest of mine is the
emergence of the
Semantic Web, and feel very strongly that it will be as
powerful and
revolutionary to our current paradigm as the beginning of
the Web was almost
20 years ago. I also feel that PHP is a great tool and love
the community
that has helped me to build some (I think  ) good
projects, as well as
learn. I think that the PHP language should stay at the
forefront of
emerging Web technologies. When I see the opportunity to
improve the
technology and contribute to the community, I have to ask if
and how I can
help. Thank you all for your time and help.

-Steve

Steve,


> Can anyone provide information on these packages, since
they appear
> to be stagnant?
The packages have been a direct port of "RDF API for
PHP" (RAP, rdfapi-php.sf.net) to PEAR. The code came
from there and just has been pearified. As RAP evolved, the
pear ports have not been updated.



-- 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen/Regards,
Christian Weiske

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Steve Bach wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am interested in developing Semantic Web packages for
PEAR. Specifically,
> I'd like to build an RDF API. I see that PEAR already
has RDF 
> functionality,
> but I'm not sure if it is a fully developed package.
Without meaning to
> criticize the work that the developers have done on the
package, I see
> several points that make me think that a better RDF API
can be developed:
> 1. The 4 RDF packages are listed as not maintained.
> 2. They appear to be in 0.1.0 Alpha release.
> 3. They are ports of another API that has since
implemented many more
> features.
> 4. No releases have been made in almost 3 years.
> 
> Can anyone provide information on these packages, since
they appear to be
> stagnant? Also, I'd like to propose that PEAR begin to
develop its own API
> for Semantic Web tools. If my understanding is correct
and that the current
> 4 RDF API ports in PEAR are not in active use, I would
like to volunteer to
> begin work on an RDF package, with the goal of
replacing these packages. 
> Can
> anyone provide me with information about how I can work
on this within the
> PEAR organization? Does PEAR support packages that are
only beginning to
> develop?

PEAR does support developing packages. You do not have to
come with a 
full-fledged package. It is better to have some code to
propose a 
package though. Since you are starting from scratch it might
make sense 
to work on some code and post mails to this list to get
feedback on 
ideas, code, design. Then when you feel confident you can
propose the 
package.

We have plans for a mentor program, it's in the works and
not yet ready. 
In the meantime, if you need help do not hesitate to email
me privately.


<snip>

Arnaud.

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.php

Steve Bach wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am interested in developing Semantic Web packages for
PEAR. Specifically,
> I'd like to build an RDF API. I see that PEAR already
has RDF 
> functionality,
> but I'm not sure if it is a fully developed package.
Without meaning to
> criticize the work that the developers have done on the
package, I see
> several points that make me think that a better RDF API
can be developed:
> 1. The 4 RDF packages are listed as not maintained.
> 2. They appear to be in 0.1.0 Alpha release.
> 3. They are ports of another API that has since
implemented many more
> features.
> 4. No releases have been made in almost 3 years.

Correct. I did the initial port. I fixed up a few things,
added MDB2 
support and tried to improve the error handling. However the
code from 
RAP left a lot to be desired. Mainly it was written for
academic demo 
purposes and not really as a real world library. This is
evident in the 
fact that most error cases just result in a fatal error.

I do not remember all the other issues I saw in this code,
but if you 
are interested I dig up some emails I send to the RAP
developers back 
then. They told me in reply that they will not fix the
structural 
issues, since they intend to rewrite everything to PHP5. I
have not 
followed the RAP development since the last/first release of
the RDF 
packages in PEAR.

regards,
Lukas

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Lukas,

Thanks! I'd love any and all information you can provide.
 Just
email me
whatever you can find, please.

On 6/9/07, Lukas Kahwe Smith <mlspooteeweet.org> wrote:
>
> Correct. I did the initial port. I fixed up a few
things, added MDB2
> support and tried to improve the error handling.
However the code from
> RAP left a lot to be desired. Mainly it was written for
academic demo
> purposes and not really as a real world library. This
is evident in the
> fact that most error cases just result in a fatal
error.
>
> I do not remember all the other issues I saw in this
code, but if you
> are interested I dig up some emails I send to the RAP
developers back
> then. They told me in reply that they will not fix the
structural
> issues, since they intend to rewrite everything to
PHP5. I have not
> followed the RAP development since the last/first
release of the RDF
> packages in PEAR.
>
> regards,
> Lukas
>
>