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This short work is the ?rst draft of a book manuscript by Aaron Swartz written for the “Synthesis Lectures on the Semantic Web” at the invitation of its editor, James Hendler. Unfortunately, the book wasn’t completed before Aaron’s death in January 2013. As a tribute, the editor and publisher are publishing the work digitally without cost. “…we will begin by trying to understand the architecture of the Web-what it got right and, occasionally, what it got wrong, but most importantly why it is the way it is. We will learn how it allows both users and search engines to co-exist peacefully while supporting everything from photo-sharing to ?nancial transactions. We will continue by considering what it means to build a program on top of the Web-how to write software that both fairly serves its immediate users as well as the developers who want to build on top of it. Too often, an API is bolted on top of an existing application, as an afterthought or a completely separate piece. But, as we’ll see, when a web application is designed properly, APIs naturally grow out of it and require little effort to maintain. Then we’ll look into what it means for your application to be not just another tool for people and software to use, but part of the ecology-a section of the programmable web. This means exposing your data to be queried and copied and integrated, even without explicit permission, into the larger software ecosystem, while protecting users’ freedom.
It can be hard to knock the amenities -- movies on demand, music on the go, air conditioning in August. It's all good stuff. What else could a modern human need? Nature. Good, old-fashioned, ear-budless, non-digital, fresh-aired nature. Dirt, bugs and photosynthesis. Every option is wonderful -- but every option costs money and, typically, travel time. The idea of piling the kids into the car with all their gear can deter even the most outdoorsy of parents. But what if experiencing the great outdoors were as easy as stepping outside? Fun with nature doesn't have to charge an entry fee. It's right there for the taking, just outside your door. All that's required is a little ingenuity and some sort of outdoor space. A backyard is perfect, although you can take a nature walk on a well-decorated patio or even the city street outside your apartment. It's as easy as planning ahead with a quick Internet search, for a start. When you head into a National Park or a zoo for some nature time, it's easy to know what to look for: Just take a peek at one of the information brochures at the entrance.
Few of us have info packets in a pocket next to the back door, so it can be a bit harder to see what there is to see. So you might want to do some research. It's not that hard to find out what your backyard might have to offer. There are handy Web sites that will tell you what's in your area. Some may have a zip code search that lets you know which plant and animal species you could see around your home. Some city-government Web sites will often have similar information, as will local information kiosks. It can be helpful to give your yard a hand and hang a hummingbird feeder if you find out there are lots of them in your area, or install a birdbath or toss out some wildflower seeds in advance, just to make it extra interesting. Another crucial preparation, especially when kids are involved, is to know what interesting stuff not to touch, lest a perfectly lovely nature walk end in tears.
The only thing worse than a dull nature walk is a red, itchy one. Knowing what to avoid is at least as important as knowing what to seek out, especially if there are little ones getting up close and personal with nature. Any great nature walk, backyard or otherwise, is preceded by a brief lesson on how to recognize poison ivy and poison oak. Google "identify poison ivy poison oak" to see countless options, or check out the library's supply of plant reference books. Just look at pictures of the itchy stuff and perhaps do a little flashcard-style quiz before heading into the yard. If you're sure your yard has neither of the lamentable growths, meaning you've done a close and recent examination of the entire space, corners and all, you could probably skip this step -- although really, what harm can it do to learn to identify some plants? Especially ones that could ruin another, future hike? And speaking of avoiding trouble…
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