Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
 
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Just a gentle reminder: we hope you can come to today's WedTech and help us figure out how to recover the peoples' data from the state government's web site.
The SFComplex. Today (Wed, April 6) @ 12:15 p.m. -tom johnson ============================================================= Friends:
There was some press hoopla in mid-Jauary around the introduction of the www.sunshineportalnm.com
The site was, we were told, supposed to let the citizens of New Mexico
have great access to the doings of the state government.
Unfortunately, the site's design and programming is such that it is not
even half a loaf, long sought in politics, but a very, VERY thin slice
in a very large loaf. For starters, (1) the site's opening page lacks
any sort of search engine and subsequent pages don't seem to reach out
to any meta data or relational data bases; (a) the site's taxonomy is
silo-ism to the head-scratching extreme, and (3) should one find what
appears to be a sought-after document, that document is only available
as a PDF file.
Consequently,
the citizens of New Mexico are being double taxed: first, we have paid
>$300k for a site which is of minimal value in terms of finding
sought-after documents and second, if you find that PDF file you have
to: (a) extract the data, (b) clean the data after OCR-ing and (c) put
it into a word processor, spreadsheet, database or GIS application to
begin any sort of analysis. (All of this is because we have no way to
find appropriate files in the original format of creation.)
Ah, but it's possible solutions are at hand.
And he has made impressive progress.
David has turned up some apps and FFox add-ons that are coming pretty close to pulling the data off the site and getting that data into a form appropriate for analysis. But while he is getting close, there are still challenges that require the insights of experienced Flash, JavaScript and Adobe Air programmers to actually retrieve the data in formats conducive to analysis. We
will hold this WedTech on Wednesday, April 6 from 12:15 (so the ABQ
crowd can make the train north) until 1:15+ at the SFComplex. We will
quickly lay out the site's problems, then discuss progress thus far and
conclude with an open plea for suggestions as to how we can make the
SunshinePortal truly functional for the citizens/taxpayers of New
Mexico.
Please join us on Wednesday this week at the Santa Fe Complex.
-- ========================================== J. T. Johnson Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA www.analyticjournalism.com 505.577.6482(c) 505.473.9646(h) http://www.jtjohnson.com [hidden email] ========================================== ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
Re: Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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Its a web "portal". This implies that the data you seek is stored
elsewhere on other websites. On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 9:40 PM, Tom Johnson <[hidden email]> wrote: > Just a gentle reminder: we hope you can come to today's WedTech and help us > figure out how to recover the peoples' data from the state government's web > site. > The SFComplex. Today (Wed, April 6) @ 12:15 p.m. > > -tom johnson > > ============================================================= > Friends: > There was some press hoopla in mid-Jauary around the introduction of the > www.sunshineportalnm.com The site was, we were told, supposed to let the > citizens of New Mexico have great access to the doings of the state > government. Unfortunately, the site's design and programming is such that > it is not even half a loaf, long sought in politics, but a very, VERY thin > slice in a very large loaf. For starters, (1) the site's opening page > lacks any sort of search engine and subsequent pages don't seem to reach out > to any meta data or relational data bases; (a) the site's taxonomy is > silo-ism to the head-scratching extreme, and (3) should one find what > appears to be a sought-after document, that document is only available as a > PDF file. > Consequently, the citizens of New Mexico are being double taxed: first, we > have paid >$300k for a site which is of minimal value in terms of finding > sought-after documents and second, if you find that PDF file you have to: > (a) extract the data, (b) clean the data after OCR-ing and (c) put it into a > word processor, spreadsheet, database or GIS application to begin any sort > of analysis. (All of this is because we have no way to find appropriate > files in the original format of creation.) > Ah, but it's possible solutions are at hand. > My friend David Collins -- one of the few reporters (formerly at The New > Mexican) who knows a bit from a byte or a bite -- has been wrestling for two > weeks with trying to suck data out of the NM state government's so-called > "transparency site," the www.sunshineportalnm.com > And he has made impressive progress. > > David has turned up some apps and FFox add-ons that are coming pretty close > to pulling the data off the site and getting that data into a form > appropriate for analysis. But while he is getting close, there are still > challenges that require the insights of experienced Flash, JavaScript and > Adobe Air programmers to actually retrieve the data in formats conducive to > analysis. > We will hold this WedTech on Wednesday, April 6 from 12:15 (so the ABQ crowd > can make the train north) until 1:15+ at the SFComplex. We will quickly lay > out the site's problems, then discuss progress thus far and conclude with an > open plea for suggestions as to how we can make the SunshinePortal truly > functional for the citizens/taxpayers of New Mexico. > Please join us on Wednesday this week at the Santa Fe Complex. > Tom Johnson > > -- > ========================================== > J. T. Johnson > Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA > www.analyticjournalism.com > 505.577.6482(c) 505.473.9646(h) > http://www.jtjohnson.com [hidden email] > ========================================== > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
Re: Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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In reply to this post by Tom Johnson
There is a software program that captures Flash data. I have used and it works well..
The data in flash is not compliant with government accessibility standards. If there is flash on a Gov website it is likely protected by copyright and created/produced by a contractor. **** Sent via BlackBerry. Please excuse brevity and typos. **** ----- Original Message ----- From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <[hidden email]> Sent: Wed Apr 06 20:41:07 2011 Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites? Its a web "portal". This implies that the data you seek is stored elsewhere on other websites. On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 9:40 PM, Tom Johnson <[hidden email]> wrote: > Just a gentle reminder: we hope you can come to today's WedTech and help us > figure out how to recover the peoples' data from the state government's web > site. > The SFComplex. Today (Wed, April 6) @ 12:15 p.m. > > -tom johnson > > ============================================================= > Friends: > There was some press hoopla in mid-Jauary around the introduction of the > www.sunshineportalnm.com The site was, we were told, supposed to let the > citizens of New Mexico have great access to the doings of the state > government. Unfortunately, the site's design and programming is such that > it is not even half a loaf, long sought in politics, but a very, VERY thin > slice in a very large loaf. For starters, (1) the site's opening page > lacks any sort of search engine and subsequent pages don't seem to reach out > to any meta data or relational data bases; (a) the site's taxonomy is > silo-ism to the head-scratching extreme, and (3) should one find what > appears to be a sought-after document, that document is only available as a > PDF file. > Consequently, the citizens of New Mexico are being double taxed: first, we > have paid >$300k for a site which is of minimal value in terms of finding > sought-after documents and second, if you find that PDF file you have to: > (a) extract the data, (b) clean the data after OCR-ing and (c) put it into a > word processor, spreadsheet, database or GIS application to begin any sort > of analysis. (All of this is because we have no way to find appropriate > files in the original format of creation.) > Ah, but it's possible solutions are at hand. > My friend David Collins -- one of the few reporters (formerly at The New > Mexican) who knows a bit from a byte or a bite -- has been wrestling for two > weeks with trying to suck data out of the NM state government's so-called > "transparency site," the www.sunshineportalnm.com > And he has made impressive progress. > > David has turned up some apps and FFox add-ons that are coming pretty close > to pulling the data off the site and getting that data into a form > appropriate for analysis. But while he is getting close, there are still > challenges that require the insights of experienced Flash, JavaScript and > Adobe Air programmers to actually retrieve the data in formats conducive to > analysis. > We will hold this WedTech on Wednesday, April 6 from 12:15 (so the ABQ crowd > can make the train north) until 1:15+ at the SFComplex. We will quickly lay > out the site's problems, then discuss progress thus far and conclude with an > open plea for suggestions as to how we can make the SunshinePortal truly > functional for the citizens/taxpayers of New Mexico. > Please join us on Wednesday this week at the Santa Fe Complex. > Tom Johnson > > -- > ========================================== > J. T. Johnson > Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA > www.analyticjournalism.com > 505.577.6482(c) 505.473.9646(h) > http://www.jtjohnson.com [hidden email] > ========================================== > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
Re: Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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Thanks, Ellen. Do you recall the name of the software program you refer to? Can you point us to the regs RE compliance/non-compliance?
-tom johnson On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 7:14 PM, Wilkinson, Ellen O. <[hidden email]> wrote: ==========================================There is a software program that captures Flash data. I have used and it works well.. J. T. Johnson Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA www.analyticjournalism.com 505.577.6482(c) 505.473.9646(h) http://www.jtjohnson.com [hidden email] ========================================== ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
Re: Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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Sothink by Sourcetech, and Etima software flash decompiler trillix. They work, but you need to know flash to repair items. Hope this helps! Ellen From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Tom Johnson Thanks, Ellen. Do you recall the name of the software program you refer to? Can you point us to the regs RE compliance/non-compliance? On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 7:14 PM, Wilkinson, Ellen O. <[hidden email]> wrote: There is a software program that captures Flash data. I have used and it works well.. ========================================== ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
Re: Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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This is great, Ellen. Many thanks.
-tom johnson On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 11:58 PM, Wilkinson, Ellen O. <[hidden email]> wrote:
-- ========================================== J. T. Johnson Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA www.analyticjournalism.com 505.577.6482(c) 505.473.9646(h) http://www.jtjohnson.com [hidden email] ========================================== ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
Re: Today's WedTech: Can we figure out how to recover data from government Flash-based web sites?
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Tom
All you need is a Colombian. My country fellows easily crack everything. Alfredo 2011/4/7 Tom Johnson <[hidden email]> This is great, Ellen. Many thanks. -- Alfredo ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
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