The future of MLS exports
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:54 am
I have encountered informed speculation in some circles lately about the future of the MLS export function. The gist of the speculation is that as MLS-like functionality migrates to the web, someday the Church may expand its APIs to allow authenticated users to download such content from lds.org, and that the use of these APIs would be limited to Church-sponsored apps. One scenario is that the generic export functionality such as MLS now provides then would disappear. It's only speculation, but I think it is worth discussion here.
My own opinion is that expanding API functionality, authenticated via LDS Account, would be great. So would the creation of popular apps, such as those on handheld devices, under Church auspices instead of just leaving that development to third parties. (So far the only apps announced, notably Mobile Member, have been limited to a small subset of data available to rank-and-file users on the web, and no decision has been made about leadership-oriented apps driven by a superset of more confidential data such as MLS exports provide.)
But I think eliminating generic export functionality, which has always been part of MLS and its predecessor MIS, would be a big mistake.
No matter how clever the central developers are -- either Church developers or "community" developers -- it is folly to think that the apps they build will exhaust all the possibilities and meet all the needs of local priesthood leaders and clerks. Life and software development just don't work that way. As an assistant clerk, I do lots of things for my bishopric using the generic export files, and this forum is replete with creative ideas from many other contributors.
Additionally, although sophisticated APIs can provide a higher level of technical service available to a relative handful of technically adept developers, that still does not substitute for the lower common denominator of CSV files that most any bishopric member, stake leader or clerk can access using commonly available tools.
My own hope is that as MLS functions move to the web, there will be a parallel migration of export functionality. A good transitional step would be the replication of the core CSV export files from MLS, with some of their worst deficiencies corrected, available online with LDS Account authentication. This path then can supplement the development of new programmers' APIs and community apps.
The ultimate users being served are the local priesthood leaders, who have stewardship over this data because it is integral to their callings. Whatever happens, it is not a good idea to lock them out of access to the raw data in easily accessible form.
I just want to voice that opinion here in case this really is a serious possibility under consideration.
My own opinion is that expanding API functionality, authenticated via LDS Account, would be great. So would the creation of popular apps, such as those on handheld devices, under Church auspices instead of just leaving that development to third parties. (So far the only apps announced, notably Mobile Member, have been limited to a small subset of data available to rank-and-file users on the web, and no decision has been made about leadership-oriented apps driven by a superset of more confidential data such as MLS exports provide.)
But I think eliminating generic export functionality, which has always been part of MLS and its predecessor MIS, would be a big mistake.
No matter how clever the central developers are -- either Church developers or "community" developers -- it is folly to think that the apps they build will exhaust all the possibilities and meet all the needs of local priesthood leaders and clerks. Life and software development just don't work that way. As an assistant clerk, I do lots of things for my bishopric using the generic export files, and this forum is replete with creative ideas from many other contributors.
Additionally, although sophisticated APIs can provide a higher level of technical service available to a relative handful of technically adept developers, that still does not substitute for the lower common denominator of CSV files that most any bishopric member, stake leader or clerk can access using commonly available tools.
My own hope is that as MLS functions move to the web, there will be a parallel migration of export functionality. A good transitional step would be the replication of the core CSV export files from MLS, with some of their worst deficiencies corrected, available online with LDS Account authentication. This path then can supplement the development of new programmers' APIs and community apps.
The ultimate users being served are the local priesthood leaders, who have stewardship over this data because it is integral to their callings. Whatever happens, it is not a good idea to lock them out of access to the raw data in easily accessible form.
I just want to voice that opinion here in case this really is a serious possibility under consideration.