Category Archives: Posts

Eva’s bio & contributions

Eva Sibinga is in her final semester of the Grad Center’s Data Analysis & Visualization program. Her research interests include data ethics, the intersection of race and technology, and the application of feminist theory to contemporary data questions. With a background in English Literature and Visual Art, her approach to data analysis and visualization is motivated by a desire to expand the way we tell stories and understand the world through our own eyes and others’.

Eva is one half of Freedom of Speech*’s core data and developer team. She will also support the project’s outreach effort, and hopes to improve her understanding and skills in UX/UI design by applying some time and effort there as well.

A Report on the NYCDH demonstration “Reclaim Your Academic Cyberinfrastructure”

On Friday, February 12th, I attended a Zoom presentation entitled “Reclaim Your Academic Cyberinfrastructure”. The demonstration, which took place on the last day of the New York City Digital Humanities (NYCDH) conference, was facilitated by Jim Groom, a co-founder of the web hosting company Reclaim Hosting and the cloud services company Reclaim Cloud. As the sponsors of NYCDH, Reclaim Hosting and Reclaim Cloud provide internet services tailored to the higher education community, making web hosting and cloud services affordable and user-friendly to much of the NYCDH community. The company’s donation to NYCDH will go to the next round of NYCDH Graduate Student Awards.

In the two-hour demonstration, Jim provided a detailed evaluation of and deep-dives into traditional web hosting and the more recently adopted technologies of cloud services known as Platform as a Service (PAAS). The overall takeaways are: all else being equal, traditional web hosting (Reclaim Hosting) is still a cost-effective option when the needs of a project conform to the standard (PHP-based) web hosting applications for small to moderate web traffic. If the needs of the project require technologies not easily supported through tradition web hosting or a high level of usage and traffic, cloud services (Reclaim Cloud) offer a potentially cost-effective and technologically superior alternative.

Shared/Managed Hosting (Reclaim Hosting)

The first hour of the presentation covered the pros and cons and primary features of web hosting.  Among the advantages of web hosting are cost-effectiveness, familiarity, one-click installers, user friendly management suite of internet services including applications, email, and domain management (DNS). The drawbacks include software limitations (limited or no support for Java, Python, or Ruby applications), scaling problems, administration complexity, potential  security issues, potential  performance issues, and a lack of group collaboration features and user management utilities. The primary user interface for web hosting is the administration tool “Cpanel”.

Cpanel

A screenshot of the main screen of Cpanel.

Web hosting through Cpanel commonly runs on the LAMP software stack, consisting of Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.  Cpanel includes a one-click installer through extensions such as Fanastico, Installatron, and Softaculous, which enable the installation of dozens of applications, including archive management platforms such as Omeka, Scalar, and content management systems such as WordPress, Droopal, and Joomla.

Cpanel-One-Click-Apps

A screenshot of the one-click installable applications in Cpanel.

In addition to one-click installers, Cpanel includes a web-based file manager, which provides access to all the files under the users home directory. Plugins such as those for Omeka can be uploaded; users have the capability of adding and editing files in the root web directory under public_html. Cpanel includes gateways to database administration tools such as phpMyAdmin for administering MySQL databases that maintain the data behind data driven applications. Administration tools are also available for adding and configuring either sub domains (e.g. dhpraxis.reclaimhosting.com) or add on domains (e.g. dhpraxis.com).

Cloud Services (Reclaim Cloud)

Cloud services provide control over the entire software environment starting at the operating system level, in which users create and administer one or more containers of operating systems, server processes, and applications. The advantages of cloud services include horizontal scaling (number of servers) and vertical scaling (amount of RAM and CPU horsepower), team administration, and built-in support for security and performance. The drawbacks to cloud services include potentially higher costs depending on the use case, and a higher learning curve in configuring and administering the containers, operating systems, and servers, and applications.

Container based approaches to segmenting Internet computing resources allows for a wide range of scripting languages, web servers, databases, and operating systems.  While cloud services provide for support for most Linux distributions, a notable exception is the lack of support for Microsoft Windows. As a result many applications built on Linux based technologies other than PHP are available through cloud services, including Discourse, Geoserver, Mattermost, Mastadon, Jitsi Meet, Manifold, R Shiny Apps, and Jupyter Notebooks. 

Jim provided a tour of the Jelastic container administration environment including the Reclaim Cloud Marketplace, which serves as a one-click installation repository for the most popular applications, such as Omeka Servier, R Studio, Voyant Tools, HAXcms, Adapt Learning Authoring Tool, Azuracast, and Cantaloupe Image Server.

Jelastic PAAS Environment

A screenshot of the Jelastic Interface.

Cloud services have become standardized through Docker container technology, which facilitates the creation of configuration files known as Docker files and the copying of OS images called Docker images that represent snapshots of a given operating system and any installed servers and applications. As an example of the process of creating a container, Jim stepped through the creation and configuration screens of a WordPress installation and PeerTube. 

One of major differences between cloud services and web hosting is the pricing and payment model. While web hosting charges flat monthly and annual fees, cloud services have generally followed Amazon’s approach in charging for compute time by the hour. A summary of Reclaim Cloud pricing can be found at https://reclaim.cloud/pricing/.

In addition to container services, Reclaim Cloud sponsors a community hub for information centered around technologies of interest to educators and digital humanists. Given the wide range of options and configurations, the Reclaim Cloud community provides a important space for battle-tested advice, tricks, and tips for navigating the powerful and complex environment of container based computing.

Bianca’s bio/contributor’s statement

 

(Bianca)  F.-C. Calabresi is an early modern scholar and teacher, specializing in book history and the cultural production of women in Europe.  She has written on rubrication as simulated blood, alternative female literacies in sewn samplers, and pseudo-Italians on the English stage among other topics.  Her current academic project explores the dubious legacy of the Battle of Lepanto and its continued weaponization in the 21-st century.  She brings her skills as an editor and proofreader to Reading Rebus, as well as her experience in group management, in the roles of Project Manager and Fact-checker/Copy Editor.

Reading Rebus work plan

READING REBUS WORK FLOW VISUALIZATION

READING REBUS General Outcomes (Deliverables):

1) Outreach; 2) Research 3) Website 4) Group Project report

Outcome 1: Establish and start Social Media Accounts: Twitter, Instagram (possibly Tumblr): Weekly postings to be determined on Sundays and uploaded.  Rachel & Matt to maintain. by March 8

Outcome 2a.  Corpus of 15-20 18th-&-19th-century rebuses with permissions to reproduce: Ostap to contact archives & special collections and oversee permissions.  Rachel to explore French collections.  Bianca to explore Italian & Spanish supplementary material. by March 29

Outcome 2b: 2-4 essay-length general analyses of rebuses history, theory, material production, and relation to other visual culture (heraldry eg).  Matt, Rachel, Ostap, Bianca to provide. by April 12

Outcome 2c: specific short pieces (“wall labels”) for each featured rebus, with links to further information.  Matt, Rachel, Ostap, Bianca to provide. by April 19

Outcome 3: design and upload the following web pages: Patricia to design & develop with content providers:

        • About/intro: Rachel  by May 3
        • Contact: Bianca & Patricia by April 26
        • How-to-rebus & interactive tutorial: Matt & Patricia by April 12
        • Object pages: Rachel, Ostap, Bianca by April 19
        • Further Reference & Bibliography: Ostap, Rachel, Matt, Bianca by April 26

Outcome 4: circulate, revise, edit, submit group project report: Bianca by May 17

Bio & Contributions – K. Delay

  • My GC program is the MALS, Urban Education track.
  • My career began in Student Academic Services in the higher ed. setting, specifically working to organize and provide accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the college classroom. I come from a family of teachers and am surrounded by friends who are also educators in a variety of professional positions and geographic locations. I have spent the last 8 years workin in admissions and financial aid at a co-ed Nursery-Grade 12 independent school in New York City; the school is also part of a global network of schools who host one another’s students for international exchanges and formally collaborate at an institutional level throughout the year. As a result of this personal and professional positioning, I have access to a network of dedicated school professionals who are willing to contribute to the our COVID Student Archive.
  • My role in this project involves helping to continue shaping the vision and outcomes. My network of schools, school professionals, and ultimately student will also serve us in the outreach phase, as we secure the audience and user base.
  • My research interests include issues pertaining to student access and equity and affective curriculum. This project connects to each of these in direct and indirect ways.

Nadia’s Bio and Contribution

Nadia is a software engineer and a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Digital Humanities program at CUNY. She has graduated  with a BA in Computer Science and Statistics, helping her to develop skills in software design and development with a focus on ethical practices and critical problem solving. This has sparked her interest in developing Digital Humanities projects that incorporate data visualization and web application spanning a range of topics.

As a team member in the Mapping Cemeteries Project, Nadia is responsible for the web development and mapping effort. This includes framework and tool selection, as well as implementation and testing. She is also responsible for a portion of the research and data collection, pertaining to historic cemeteries in New York City.

Personal Journal Entry #2 — Bio and Contribution

Kevin is a first-year MA in Digital Humanities student, and holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from UC Berkeley. His research generally sits at the intersection of race, critical theory, and the history of digital culture and media, and is interested in exploring theoretical interventions within the Digital Humanities. Additionally, Kevin is a product designer in the tech industry, professionally; as such, he leads the design team on the Freedom of Speech* project, and is also a part of the research team. His primary contributions will be to lead design ideation, produce high-fidelity wireframes for the website, and create the project’s key pieces of branding.

I am in the DH program and my interests include text analysis, translation, DH& the anthropocene, and critical approaches to computation/artificial intelligence. My main role in our project, NYC Community Fridges Archive, is Lead Omeka Developer. I will also be contributing to the research and design aspects of the project.

Work Plan – NYC Community Fridges Archive

This project consists of four different workflows that overlap in scope and time of execution but will be conducted as distinct activities; planning and research, content development, community outreach and publicity, design, and technical development. 

Planning and Research will be coordinated by the project manager with the collaboration of the entire team. The project manager will select and manage communication platforms to be used for team communication and data storage. All team members will maintain accounts in the platforms used Trello, Slack, Google Drive, and communicate via email. Each team member will be assigned a primary role, and take on other tasks as needed, based on their skills. Class assignments will be drafted by a team writer, all team members will suggest edits, and the writer/editor will make the final edits.

Revised Roles:

  • Elena: Project Manager, Social Media Manager, Omeka Developer
  • Allison: Community Outreach Coordinator, Omeka Developer
  • Jean: Lead Writer, Editor, Research
  • Lola: Lead Researcher, Writer, Omeka Developer, Design
  • Montage: Lead Omeka Developer, Research, Design

Research and Content Development 

The research and development team will research, collect and prepare data in collaboration with other team members and community contacts.

Phase 1: Build Dataset 

The lead researcher will collect public datasets on existing community fridges in the NYC area using online sources and data delivered by community members. An initial comprehensive dataset of community fridges in NYC from online and community sources will mark the completion of this phase. The research will continue for the duration of the project as community fridges continue to increase in number. Researchers and the community outreach team will collaborate to continue to monitor community fridges and build new sources of information from community organizers. Phase 1 is expected to be completed by March 4.

Phase 2: Clean Dataset 

The Research and Development team leaders will collaborate to clean the datasets and prepare data for the archive, maps, and visualizations. The end product of this phase will be the complete dataset prepared for all elements of the Omeka site. Phase 2 is expected to be completed by March 11.

Phase 3: Disclaimers, Informed Consent Forms, Privacy

The Research and Development team will review how other digital public history projects manage their disclaimers, informed consent forms, and privacy statements. The team will develop Guidelines for submitting materials to the archive and submit them to the team for evaluation by March 18.

Community Outreach

Phase 1: Community Outreach

The Community Outreach Coordinator will establish relationships with NYC Community Fridges organizers and volunteers through social media and personal contacts. This phase is ongoing, but we would ideally reach out to one fridge organizer per week.

Phase 2: Social Media

The Community Outreach Coordinator will create accounts on social media, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and use these platforms to promote the project and build relationships with the community fridges across the NYC area. The lead community outreach will also produce content, images, and design elements for our social media and the Omeka site. The Social Media Manager will post 1-2 times per week with dynamic content (photos, videos, et cetera.). All team members will have access to logins. 

Phase 3: Community Initiatives

The Community Outreach Coordinator will organize initiatives to mobilize local communities, amplify the visibility and raise money for local fridges. Ideally, we will have one community initiative per month:

  • March: Photo contribution campaign
  • April: Yoga/Pilates lesson and fundraising
  • May: Launch party and Collaborators Appreciation Day.

Design and technical development

The Lead Developer will build the site, create visualizations including the timeline. S/he will also edit the audio and video materials to a format appropriate for the exhibition.

Phase 1- Research and Training

To build technological foundations, the development team will rely primarily on CUNY resources for technical support and guidance. The first stage of this process will focus on developing skills through workshops and direct guidance of digital fellows. The result of this phase is a development team that has the skills to build and plan the design of the Omeka site, understands the resources available to and troubleshoot when necessary. Although training will continue throughout the development of the project, this initial phase will be completed by March 11.

Phase 2 – Omeka Site Development

The development team will collaboratively make decisions about the design and structure of the Omeka site, build the pages and format the Omeka site by March 18.

Phase 3 – Contributions Plugin and Content Moderation

Once we start collecting user contributions to the NYC Community Fridges Archive

Phase 4 – Visual Presentation and UX

Once the archive has a solid structure and some crowdsourced content from our users and collaborators, the Omeka Developer will present the team with design options for Themes and User Experience. The team will vote on the best solution, which will be implemented by April 22.

lane – personal bio

lane vineyard is a first-year student at the CUNY Graduate Center currently pursuing a master’s in Digital Humanities. They currently hold a B.A. in Linguistics, with minors in Spanish and Mandarin, from Middle Tennessee State University. Though they have some educational background in the arts and humanities, they have only recently begun delving into the field of Digital Humanities. Their research interests include queer culture and history, digital mapping tools, design, and studying the intersection of language and identity with DH tools.  

lane’s primary role for the project is outreach, which entails the creation and maintenance of an online presence for the project. Additionally, they do primary research for one of the cemeteries showcased in the project, which is a cemetery that was repurposed, rediscovered, and now exists again as both a cemetery and national monument.