A unique feature of Google Base is the ability to create custom attributes and item types. This gives you an opportunity to include relevant information, no matter how obscure, detailed or specialized it is, about the content you want to share. For those of you who are already submitting data through Google Base, you've probably noticed that we have a finite set of item types to choose from and that for each item type, we have a finite set of suggested attributes. Though you always have the ability to create your own, we'd still like to present relevant suggestions for each item type.
Because you're the experts in your fields, we'd like you to tell us about what item types you'd like to see in the 'Choose an existing item type:' drop-down on the post an item page. We'd also love to know what attributes you think are most important for each item type. For example, if you're a photographer with interesting photos to share, license or sell, let us know what attributes make the most sense for your industry. Should we include print size, licensing information, place, camera etc? Or, if you're a collector of African art, what details do you and other collectors think are important when you evaluate your wares? Let us know by posting to this thread.
I am a Modular Home dealer (Not Mobile) and I would love to see a few additional attributes added to the Details area of "Housing".
It would be great to have house types, such as Ranch, Two-Story, Bi-Level, Cape, etc. Also, in addition to the "Listing Type" it would be great to have a the age of the house, or at least the ability to simply say that its new-construction, or if it was recently renovated, specify that. Lastly, in addition to "Bedrooms" there should be the ability to also put in "Bathrooms" as thats almost as important as how many bedrooms are in the house.
Google Base Guide wrote: > A unique feature of Google Base is the ability to create custom > attributes and item types. This gives you an opportunity to include > relevant information, no matter how obscure, detailed or specialized it > is, about the content you want to share. For those of you who are > already submitting data through Google Base, you've probably noticed > that we have a finite set of item types to choose from and that for > each item type, we have a finite set of suggested attributes. Though > you always have the ability to create your own, we'd still like to > present relevant suggestions for each item type.
> Because you're the experts in your fields, we'd like you to tell us > about what item types you'd like to see in the 'Choose an existing item > type:' drop-down on the post an item page. We'd also love to know what > attributes you think are most important for each item type. For > example, if you're a photographer with interesting photos to share, > license or sell, let us know what attributes make the most sense for > your industry. Should we include print size, licensing information, > place, camera etc? Or, if you're a collector of African art, what > details do you and other collectors think are important when you > evaluate your wares? Let us know by posting to this thread.
One of the most pressing problems in the online education field is the tagging and distribution of digitally produced learning materials so that they may be reused in other contexts and by other groups, organizations and students.
I truly believe that a Google Base schema for Learning Materials would much more strongly encourage sharing and reuse of these "learning objects" among world-wide educational providers and students. There already exist mature schemata, as well as active independent development communities, but content repositories are scattered and unintegrated at individual institutions and even within institutional departments, each potentially with its own localized schema.
I notice that at least some of the MIT OCW project has been added to Google BASE. The Educational context field is certainly a good start. What would help is an "item type" for learning components, along with a complexity descriptor field (course, unit, summative evaluation, assignment, tutorial, demo, etc.).
As for cgmckeever's API suggestion, I think that is an excellent one. This would allow, for example, teachers or students to quickly retrieve context-relevant learning materials to supplement and enhance their online experience directly through their learning environment/CMS.
Sound recordings of musical performances will be a big part of GB. Don't make the mistakes iTunes and others do by assuming that all performances are by a band, there are no composers or lyricists, and conductors and performing ensembles are the same thing.
For musical performances you should have
Title Subtitle Performer Composer Lyricist Conductor Compilation Title (album) Date of Composition Date of Performance
etc...
I'm sure there are more refinements to this ... all you need to do, actually, is consult the Library of Congress cataloguing information for sound recordings. They've already takled and solved this problem years ago. It would be a shame to have GB blunder cluelessly into a taxonomic morass when it comes to musical performances (and, come to think of it, film/video, too).
