+1 on no data collected before we have a clear need for it and are prepared to deal with it responsibly
- Dennis -----Original Message----- From: Simon Phipps [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 14:15 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [WWW] Web analytics On 12 Aug 2011, at 22:01, Rob Weir wrote: > On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Simon Phipps <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> I suggest the right question is "which project members need which data and >> why". The answer today may well be "none", since we don't actually have any >> resources to visit yet. This is also likely to change over time, and we'll >> need to add analytics as and when people request (and justify) according to >> their specific needs and remove them when they're no longer justified. >> >> I suggest we resist the idea of capturing bulk analytics "just because", and >> instead devise a lightweight process for justifying and requesting >> collection of data. I'd guess there is already a process to copy somewhere >> in Apache - any mentors with suggestions where to look? >> > > I see that tracking code is used with the websites of most of the > groups you are affiliated with: LibreOffice (Piwik), ForgeRock > (Google Analytics, including in the community pages) and OSI (Google > Analytics). And as was mentioned before, OpenOffice.org uses Google > Analytics currently. It is indeed endemic. We have a unique opportunity to address the issue thoughtfully. And by the way I am delighted you're paying such close attention to my career. > > Have you given them similar advice? Where possible, yes. Abuse of personal data is something which concerns me greatly. > Or is there something special > about OpenOffice at Apache Yes. At the moment as far as I am aware AOOo has no significant resources of interest to non-project-members and no groups of members with active applications for the data from analytics. Both situations will certainly change, but on best YAGNI principles I suggest doing what's needed when it's needed, on the basis of actual documented requirements. > that suggests that we should not be > optimizing our website based on visitor stats like others, including > LibreOffice, are? When we have an end-user website capable of optimisation along with project members stepping forward to harvest the data, process it and act upon it, that will be a fine thing to do. What's needed, when it's needed. S.
