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| For my [http://p2pu.org/ Peer to Peer University]'s [http://p2pu.org/general/open-journalism-open-web Open Journalism & the Open Web] course [http://p2pu.org/node/5644/document/9468 week one, Assignment one], I decided to investigate the numbers behind the G20/G8 2010 combined summits in Canada. These summits, particularly the G20, were controversial because of their [[2010/G20 and G8 Budget/Summit costs were unreasonable|high costs]], [[2010/G20 and G8 Budget/Budget numbers are transparently being released|lack of transparency]], [[2010/G20/Summit was disruptive|disruptive impact on the city]], and [[2010/G20/Handling by authorities was a problem|heavy-handed and potentially manipulative behaviour by government and police authorities]].
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| In this case, after freedom of information requests, the government released part of the budget, in fax form. The fax became available online, and I posted a message to the [http://canbudget.zooid.org/frame/?l=http%3A//groups.google.com/group/visiblegovernment-discuss/browse_thread/thread/54a5551a854e13e5 Visible Government mailing list] and [http://www.facebook.com/nostriluu?v=wall&story_fbid=156947327666270 Facebook], asking for people interested in transcribing this data into reusable spreadsheet data, and suggesting the creation of a semantic, structured wiki to make the data reusable and examinable through addition of details. This includes discourse features, which allows assigning a position to additions. For example, an initial cost item can have another item added with a Debatable position. That item can then have items added with Supports or Refutes positions.
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| A number of individuals helped [https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=tZVtPjZYfnOcWglkGpGMTgQ&authkey=CMia450N#gid=1 transcribe the data], which was imported, and discourse features added, along with a number of examples.
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| The result is highly re-usable, organized information. Because the software is based on the Free Software [http://www.mediawiki.org Mediawiki], the same software used by Wikipedia, it is free to use, can store many entries, and a culture of access is included. All site editing is done via the Web, so anyone can view any page's contents (via the edit or view source tab), [[Special:RecentChanges|site editing history]], page edit history (via the history tab), and [[Special:Version|components of the site]], as well as progressively learn how to use and contribute to the site (knowledge which will transfer to similar sites, and which I'd assert is digital literacy past filling in forms). Because the site uses [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ cc-by-sa] terms of use, anyone can take the content and use it for their own purposes, as long as they attribute the site and make modified works available under the same terms. All the [[:Category:Site components|site components]] can be exported and re-used easily on any site using [[Special:Export]].
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| == Structured features ==
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| While [http://www.semantic-mediawiki.org Semantic Mediawiki] may seem to focus on the [http://www.semanticweb.org Semantic Web], in this case it is used to make the site easier to use, while making the content re-usable across the site. Therefore queries can be '''dynamically''' used in different ways;
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| {{ #ask: [[Position::Debatable]]
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| |mainlabel=Debatable item
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| |template=Debatable items
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| {{ #ask: [[Canadian dollar cost 2010::>2000000]]
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| |?Description
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| |?Canadian dollar cost 2010
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| |sort=Canadian dollar cost 2010
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| |mainlabel=-
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| |width=100%
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| |format=jqplotbar
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| |charttitle=Cost items over $2M
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| |bardirection=horizontal
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| {{ #ask: [[Start date::+]]
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| |?Description
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| |?Start date
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| |?End date
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| |?Page link
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| |mainlabel=-
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| |format=timeline
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| |timelinebands=DAY,YEAR
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| See the [[procurement exhibit]] for a particular tool to narrow down cost items by procurement process, and [[Graph of procurement process and topic|a graph of procurement processes and topics]].
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| Since the underlying facilities are in an integrated system, as different visualizations emerge they can also be supported. Ideally the set of visualizations will be consistent, so those accessing the site can learn how to use them as interesting looking and useful tools.
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| === Types of content ===
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| The types of content stored in the site are [[Template:Subject|subject]] (a very general collection of cost items and discourse elements), [[Template:Responsible person|responsible person]], [[Template:Responsible unit|responsible unit]], and [[Template:Supplier|supplier]]. An integrated issue system will be [[Issue system|explained separately]]. [[:Category:Procurement Process|procurement process]] is also broken out, providing the opportunity to precisely describe these processes using [http://km.aifb.kit.edu/projects/process/index.php/Review_process process graphs].
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| == Use in journalism ==
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| This type of system could be used by journalists as an in-house or public database. As related stories are developed, content will be constantly added. Interactive tools can be used for investigation and final display. As part of the Web, journalists can use their authority to work with authorities and "members of the public" for a truly inclusive culture, creating stories out of data and creating comprehensive world views based on facts and positions.
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| == Going forward ==
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| Since I'm developing this type of site for several projects, this week I'm investigating a "pipeline" that includes annotation using the [http://gate.ac.uk GATE] software. This could allow importing many Web based pages. While computer software will never have the real understanding of a human, entities such as people, places and dates can be recognized, and [http://gate.ac.uk/sentiment/ sentiments] can be read with limited accuracy, therefore ideally people will correct this information to make it more than statistically useful.
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| The process behind developing this site was interesting to me, and has invoked interest that may spark an ongoing project that can expand to include the structure of governments and connections between government figures and business. The semantic facilities may become more important, allowing the site to interact in a reusable web of information. Hopefully this type of participatory site will become more common, allowing people to constantly learn, organize and re-use information past typical unstructured content today; computer-developed content that is often no better than a typewritten page or fax.
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| If you're interested in participating, please add your name [[Site developers|here]].
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