Re: Request for review: python-cloudfiles description
On 10/22/2009 02:13 PM, Justin B Rye wrote:
> Michael Shuler wrote:
>> - I would like to convey to the user what the system actually is, but I
>> do not wish the descriptions to sound like buzzword-bingo advertisements
>> in any way.
>> - I think it would be nice to have a description that will be relatively
>> portable for the various language API descriptions.
>> - I would like to clarify with the list if it is necessary to include
>> information to the user that they will incur usage fees, or if one could
>> assume the user will go read the website, etc.
>>
>> Below are some of the possibilities we have tried and, personally, none
>> hits me as, "that's perfect!" Some suffer from sales-speak,
>> awkwardness, and/or repetitiveness.. and, unfortunately, we cannot
>> change the name of the storage service, which was chosen by marketing
>> humans.
>>
>> I appreciate your time looking these over and helping me out.
>>
>> (original internal python module description)
>> Description: Python interface to Rackspace Cloud Files
>> Cloud Files is a parallel virtualized distributed storage system.
>
> I follow the "distributed storage system" bit, but I'm not so sure
> about the "parallel virtualized" part. Is it a virtualized DSS
> that's parallel? Or is it a DSS that's parallel-virtualized?
> Would the description be clearer if it called it a "virtualized
> parallel and distributed storage system", or maybe a "parallel,
> virtualized, and distributed storage system"?
Distributed storage system fits, but the "parallel virtualized" terms
are not really being used in this kind of system any longer. That
sounded like too many buzz words to me, anyway ;)
>> Unlike a traditional POSIX compliant filesystem, Cloud Files requires
>> that applications access storage through the use of a web services API,
>> and python-cloudfiles provides a client-side Python library for these
>> web services.
>
> This is all very well as a description of Cloud Files, but doesn't
> have much to do with Debian packages of API libraries. I'd also
> leave out the bit about POSIX.
Yep, I agree.
>> (ITP #543118 description - ideas from libnet-amazon-s3-perl package)
>> Description: Python interface to Rackspace Cloud Files service
>
> I like the addition of "service". The "Python" is there in the
> package name, but then again if it's the only part that varies
> between the different languages we may end up recommending something
> like this:
>
> Description: Rackspace Cloud Files service $LANGNAME interface
Interesting - the addition of service was kind of awkward to me, if I
was going to include it somewhere in the long description, so I dropped
it somewhere along the line.
>> python-cloudfiles provides a simple interface to the Rackspace Cloud
>> Files service. "Cloud Files is reliable, scalable and affordable
>> web-based storage for backing up and archiving all your static
>> content". Find out more at http://www.rackspacecloud.com
>
> It may be an advert, but at least it's in quotes; and it gives a
> relatively clear idea of what the service is all about.
>
>> To use this module you will need to sign up to Rackspace Cloud Files
>> and provide a "user" and "key". If you use this module, you will incurr
>> costs as specified by Rackspace. Please check the costs. If you use
>> this module with your user and key you will be responsible for these
>> costs.
>
> This warning may be more detailed than necessary; but on the other
> hand, it isn't detailed enough to make it quite clear who it is that
> incurs the fee - the Python programmer or the end user running the
> app? (And then of course the "you" reading the package description
> and installing the package may neither person.)
>
>> (current package description in Python Modules Team SVN)
>> Description: Python interface to Rackspace Cloud Files
>> python-cloudfiles is a Python interface to the Rackspace Cloud Files
>> storage service. python-cloudfiles supports all of the container and
>> file object operations exposed by the Cloud Files REST API, as well as
>> methods for enabling data to be served by a public CDN.
>
> Again some new information (or at least buzzy initialisms). Are
> these facts about supported operations also likely to be true for
> Perl/Ruby versions (so the descriptions vary only in $LANGNAME)?
The storage system is a RESTful interface, but I'm not sure that needs
to be included. The language APIs are abstractions to make talking to
the system simpler for programmers in their language of choice.
Container=directory and Object=file.
>> (another possible description)
>> Description: Python interface to Rackspace Cloud Files
>> Cloud Files is an offering from Rackspace that provides limitless data
>> storage and access over web services. This package provides the Python
>> interface needed to perform container and object operations, and CDN
>> management.
>> .
>> To use this module you will need to sign up for Cloud Files at
>> http://www.rackspacecloud.com, and accept the fees associated with
>> usage.
>
> That has some subtly awkward bits, but on the other hand bits of it
> are useful... Okay, here's a first attempt:
>
> Description: Rackspace Cloud Files service $LANGNAME interface
> Cloud Files is a parallel, virtualized, distributed storage system run
> as a commercial web-based backup and archiving service. It is accessed
> via a web services API, which requires a paid account with Rackspace.
> .
> This package provides a client-side Python module for the Cloud Files
> REST API, supporting container and file object operations as well as
> CDN management.
>
> I hope that's not mangling it too badly.
Not at all. I've been trying to mangle it for days.
Stating that Cloud Files is a backup and archiving service is not
exactly accurate, although it can be used for those purposes - much like
a hard disk is not a backup and archiving device. There are
applications like duplicity and others that use the system to store and
retrieve data that I would call backup and archiving applications, but
Cloud Files is just the big disk in the sky. Basically, Cloud Files is
the same kind of storage service as Amazon S3, for a frame of reference,
if that helps
Thanks! I hope that helps clarify.
--
Kind regards,
Michael
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