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Posted to dev@nifi.apache.org by Joe Witt <jo...@gmail.com> on 2014/11/26 17:13:33 UTC
The 'user experience' of getting started with NiFi
Hello
One could argue that we have no users at this point :-) But that shouldn't
stop us from ensuring we lay down the foundation to help bring folks in and
get them to be productive using it.
While the application does provide a lot of in-line documentation we will
need to setup a nice user guide which will document the basic concepts and
functions of the application. Once the wiki and such is established we can
post step-by-step guides and also include templates to help users quickly
put a base flow together.
Getting this right and ensuring it evolves is important for not just
building a user base but also building a diverse contributor base.
Please do fire out thoughts on things we should tackle/consider early on
for users.
Thanks
Joe
Re: The 'user experience' of getting started with NiFi
Posted by Joe Witt <jo...@gmail.com>.
I tried Tony's magic docker command yesterday. Literally a single
command. Wait a few moments for it to download and boom! - a running
nifi. Pretty incredible and very compelling for many use cases. We will
definitely need to figure out an Apache friendly way to make this available.
On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 12:33 AM, Tony Kurc <tr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> the Dockerfile is basically instructions for how to make the image - that
> file is helpful, but not necessary for people getting started.
>
> On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 12:01 AM, Josh Elser <jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I forget how all Docker supports fetching the Dockerfile, but, after the
> > code is imported/set-up, it's very trivial (if not automatic) to get it
> > mirrored to https://github.com/apache/
> >
> > If there is a way to inform a user to pull down a given Dockerfile
> > (instead of the registry/hub thing), that might be a good starting point.
> >
> >
> > Tony Kurc wrote:
> >
> >> I agree on the docker front. I have a Dockerfile stubbed out to build an
> >> image that has a real simple NiFi configuration (with some volumes for
> >> things like the repositories and flow config and an exposed port for the
> >> web UI and another that I anticipate would be useful for a processor
> >> listening for HTTP POSTs). It needs work for a production environment -
> >> it
> >> needs a way of setting up a secure configuration, a way of for managing
> >> accounts and getting clustering up - but it does do a quick start.
> >>
> >> There are a lot of apache projects with images on the docker.com
> >> repository, but I don't see a lot of Dockerfiles in apache projects
> >> (they're often on github). Certainly using docker.com and github make
> >> just
> >> running 'docker run --name nifi nifi' and inspecting the Dockerfile
> easy
> >> -
> >> is this, for lack of a better term, "apache friendly"?
> >>
> >> Tony
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thu, Nov 27, 2014 at 4:46 PM, Aldrin Piri<al...@gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> I think a boon for adoption would be to piggyback on the current trend
> of
> >>> Docker adoption and getting NiFi containerized. In conjunction with
> >>> this,
> >>> a "NiFi appliance" that can be booted up in VirtualBox/VMWare would
> make
> >>> for complementary additions.
> >>>
> >>> I don't think it's feasible at this point to host a live demo, so the
> >>> next
> >>> closest thing is to let people experience the project with minimal
> >>> impedance. Not that standing up NiFi is difficult by any means, but I
> >>> could envision both a barebones configuration that presents you with a
> >>> blank workspace and then some variants that show key use cases so
> people
> >>> can immediately feel the impact and understand how this makes their
> life,
> >>> business, organization better. Videos only do so much, but the
> >>> "tactile"
> >>> experience can really send the message home.
> >>>
> >>> It's an easier win with 'Step 1' being "Run 'docker run ...'" or "Open
> >>> this
> >>> file in VirtualBox." If there is a desire to go further in the area of
> >>> accessibility, say in the appeal to people who are only interested in
> >>> managing data flow, an equivalent of boot2docker [
> http://boot2docker.io]
> >>>
> >>> Take the templates, which I agree are needed and crucial, and autoload
> >>> them
> >>> into the Docker container or VM image.
> >>>
> >>> People that like what they see won't mind opening up a configuration
> file
> >>> and tweaking as needed and establishing an environment.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 11:13 AM, Joe Witt<jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Hello
> >>>>
> >>>> One could argue that we have no users at this point :-) But that
> >>>>
> >>> shouldn't
> >>>
> >>>> stop us from ensuring we lay down the foundation to help bring folks
> in
> >>>>
> >>> and
> >>>
> >>>> get them to be productive using it.
> >>>>
> >>>> While the application does provide a lot of in-line documentation we
> >>>> will
> >>>> need to setup a nice user guide which will document the basic
> concepts
> >>>>
> >>> and
> >>>
> >>>> functions of the application. Once the wiki and such is established
> we
> >>>>
> >>> can
> >>>
> >>>> post step-by-step guides and also include templates to help users
> >>>> quickly
> >>>> put a base flow together.
> >>>>
> >>>> Getting this right and ensuring it evolves is important for not just
> >>>> building a user base but also building a diverse contributor base.
> >>>>
> >>>> Please do fire out thoughts on things we should tackle/consider early
> on
> >>>> for users.
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks
> >>>> Joe
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>
>
Re: The 'user experience' of getting started with NiFi
Posted by Tony Kurc <tr...@gmail.com>.
the Dockerfile is basically instructions for how to make the image - that
file is helpful, but not necessary for people getting started.
On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 12:01 AM, Josh Elser <jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I forget how all Docker supports fetching the Dockerfile, but, after the
> code is imported/set-up, it's very trivial (if not automatic) to get it
> mirrored to https://github.com/apache/
>
> If there is a way to inform a user to pull down a given Dockerfile
> (instead of the registry/hub thing), that might be a good starting point.
>
>
> Tony Kurc wrote:
>
>> I agree on the docker front. I have a Dockerfile stubbed out to build an
>> image that has a real simple NiFi configuration (with some volumes for
>> things like the repositories and flow config and an exposed port for the
>> web UI and another that I anticipate would be useful for a processor
>> listening for HTTP POSTs). It needs work for a production environment -
>> it
>> needs a way of setting up a secure configuration, a way of for managing
>> accounts and getting clustering up - but it does do a quick start.
>>
>> There are a lot of apache projects with images on the docker.com
>> repository, but I don't see a lot of Dockerfiles in apache projects
>> (they're often on github). Certainly using docker.com and github make
>> just
>> running 'docker run --name nifi nifi' and inspecting the Dockerfile easy
>> -
>> is this, for lack of a better term, "apache friendly"?
>>
>> Tony
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 27, 2014 at 4:46 PM, Aldrin Piri<al...@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> I think a boon for adoption would be to piggyback on the current trend of
>>> Docker adoption and getting NiFi containerized. In conjunction with
>>> this,
>>> a "NiFi appliance" that can be booted up in VirtualBox/VMWare would make
>>> for complementary additions.
>>>
>>> I don't think it's feasible at this point to host a live demo, so the
>>> next
>>> closest thing is to let people experience the project with minimal
>>> impedance. Not that standing up NiFi is difficult by any means, but I
>>> could envision both a barebones configuration that presents you with a
>>> blank workspace and then some variants that show key use cases so people
>>> can immediately feel the impact and understand how this makes their life,
>>> business, organization better. Videos only do so much, but the
>>> "tactile"
>>> experience can really send the message home.
>>>
>>> It's an easier win with 'Step 1' being "Run 'docker run ...'" or "Open
>>> this
>>> file in VirtualBox." If there is a desire to go further in the area of
>>> accessibility, say in the appeal to people who are only interested in
>>> managing data flow, an equivalent of boot2docker [http://boot2docker.io]
>>>
>>> Take the templates, which I agree are needed and crucial, and autoload
>>> them
>>> into the Docker container or VM image.
>>>
>>> People that like what they see won't mind opening up a configuration file
>>> and tweaking as needed and establishing an environment.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 11:13 AM, Joe Witt<jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello
>>>>
>>>> One could argue that we have no users at this point :-) But that
>>>>
>>> shouldn't
>>>
>>>> stop us from ensuring we lay down the foundation to help bring folks in
>>>>
>>> and
>>>
>>>> get them to be productive using it.
>>>>
>>>> While the application does provide a lot of in-line documentation we
>>>> will
>>>> need to setup a nice user guide which will document the basic concepts
>>>>
>>> and
>>>
>>>> functions of the application. Once the wiki and such is established we
>>>>
>>> can
>>>
>>>> post step-by-step guides and also include templates to help users
>>>> quickly
>>>> put a base flow together.
>>>>
>>>> Getting this right and ensuring it evolves is important for not just
>>>> building a user base but also building a diverse contributor base.
>>>>
>>>> Please do fire out thoughts on things we should tackle/consider early on
>>>> for users.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Joe
>>>>
>>>>
>>
Re: The 'user experience' of getting started with NiFi
Posted by Josh Elser <jo...@gmail.com>.
I forget how all Docker supports fetching the Dockerfile, but, after the
code is imported/set-up, it's very trivial (if not automatic) to get it
mirrored to https://github.com/apache/
If there is a way to inform a user to pull down a given Dockerfile
(instead of the registry/hub thing), that might be a good starting point.
Tony Kurc wrote:
> I agree on the docker front. I have a Dockerfile stubbed out to build an
> image that has a real simple NiFi configuration (with some volumes for
> things like the repositories and flow config and an exposed port for the
> web UI and another that I anticipate would be useful for a processor
> listening for HTTP POSTs). It needs work for a production environment - it
> needs a way of setting up a secure configuration, a way of for managing
> accounts and getting clustering up - but it does do a quick start.
>
> There are a lot of apache projects with images on the docker.com
> repository, but I don't see a lot of Dockerfiles in apache projects
> (they're often on github). Certainly using docker.com and github make just
> running 'docker run --name nifi nifi' and inspecting the Dockerfile easy -
> is this, for lack of a better term, "apache friendly"?
>
> Tony
>
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 27, 2014 at 4:46 PM, Aldrin Piri<al...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I think a boon for adoption would be to piggyback on the current trend of
>> Docker adoption and getting NiFi containerized. In conjunction with this,
>> a "NiFi appliance" that can be booted up in VirtualBox/VMWare would make
>> for complementary additions.
>>
>> I don't think it's feasible at this point to host a live demo, so the next
>> closest thing is to let people experience the project with minimal
>> impedance. Not that standing up NiFi is difficult by any means, but I
>> could envision both a barebones configuration that presents you with a
>> blank workspace and then some variants that show key use cases so people
>> can immediately feel the impact and understand how this makes their life,
>> business, organization better. Videos only do so much, but the "tactile"
>> experience can really send the message home.
>>
>> It's an easier win with 'Step 1' being "Run 'docker run ...'" or "Open this
>> file in VirtualBox." If there is a desire to go further in the area of
>> accessibility, say in the appeal to people who are only interested in
>> managing data flow, an equivalent of boot2docker [http://boot2docker.io]
>>
>> Take the templates, which I agree are needed and crucial, and autoload them
>> into the Docker container or VM image.
>>
>> People that like what they see won't mind opening up a configuration file
>> and tweaking as needed and establishing an environment.
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 11:13 AM, Joe Witt<jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello
>>>
>>> One could argue that we have no users at this point :-) But that
>> shouldn't
>>> stop us from ensuring we lay down the foundation to help bring folks in
>> and
>>> get them to be productive using it.
>>>
>>> While the application does provide a lot of in-line documentation we will
>>> need to setup a nice user guide which will document the basic concepts
>> and
>>> functions of the application. Once the wiki and such is established we
>> can
>>> post step-by-step guides and also include templates to help users quickly
>>> put a base flow together.
>>>
>>> Getting this right and ensuring it evolves is important for not just
>>> building a user base but also building a diverse contributor base.
>>>
>>> Please do fire out thoughts on things we should tackle/consider early on
>>> for users.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Joe
>>>
>
Re: The 'user experience' of getting started with NiFi
Posted by Tony Kurc <tr...@gmail.com>.
I agree on the docker front. I have a Dockerfile stubbed out to build an
image that has a real simple NiFi configuration (with some volumes for
things like the repositories and flow config and an exposed port for the
web UI and another that I anticipate would be useful for a processor
listening for HTTP POSTs). It needs work for a production environment - it
needs a way of setting up a secure configuration, a way of for managing
accounts and getting clustering up - but it does do a quick start.
There are a lot of apache projects with images on the docker.com
repository, but I don't see a lot of Dockerfiles in apache projects
(they're often on github). Certainly using docker.com and github make just
running 'docker run --name nifi nifi' and inspecting the Dockerfile easy -
is this, for lack of a better term, "apache friendly"?
Tony
On Thu, Nov 27, 2014 at 4:46 PM, Aldrin Piri <al...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think a boon for adoption would be to piggyback on the current trend of
> Docker adoption and getting NiFi containerized. In conjunction with this,
> a "NiFi appliance" that can be booted up in VirtualBox/VMWare would make
> for complementary additions.
>
> I don't think it's feasible at this point to host a live demo, so the next
> closest thing is to let people experience the project with minimal
> impedance. Not that standing up NiFi is difficult by any means, but I
> could envision both a barebones configuration that presents you with a
> blank workspace and then some variants that show key use cases so people
> can immediately feel the impact and understand how this makes their life,
> business, organization better. Videos only do so much, but the "tactile"
> experience can really send the message home.
>
> It's an easier win with 'Step 1' being "Run 'docker run ...'" or "Open this
> file in VirtualBox." If there is a desire to go further in the area of
> accessibility, say in the appeal to people who are only interested in
> managing data flow, an equivalent of boot2docker [http://boot2docker.io]
>
> Take the templates, which I agree are needed and crucial, and autoload them
> into the Docker container or VM image.
>
> People that like what they see won't mind opening up a configuration file
> and tweaking as needed and establishing an environment.
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 11:13 AM, Joe Witt <jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hello
> >
> > One could argue that we have no users at this point :-) But that
> shouldn't
> > stop us from ensuring we lay down the foundation to help bring folks in
> and
> > get them to be productive using it.
> >
> > While the application does provide a lot of in-line documentation we will
> > need to setup a nice user guide which will document the basic concepts
> and
> > functions of the application. Once the wiki and such is established we
> can
> > post step-by-step guides and also include templates to help users quickly
> > put a base flow together.
> >
> > Getting this right and ensuring it evolves is important for not just
> > building a user base but also building a diverse contributor base.
> >
> > Please do fire out thoughts on things we should tackle/consider early on
> > for users.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Joe
> >
>
Re: The 'user experience' of getting started with NiFi
Posted by Aldrin Piri <al...@gmail.com>.
I think a boon for adoption would be to piggyback on the current trend of
Docker adoption and getting NiFi containerized. In conjunction with this,
a "NiFi appliance" that can be booted up in VirtualBox/VMWare would make
for complementary additions.
I don't think it's feasible at this point to host a live demo, so the next
closest thing is to let people experience the project with minimal
impedance. Not that standing up NiFi is difficult by any means, but I
could envision both a barebones configuration that presents you with a
blank workspace and then some variants that show key use cases so people
can immediately feel the impact and understand how this makes their life,
business, organization better. Videos only do so much, but the "tactile"
experience can really send the message home.
It's an easier win with 'Step 1' being "Run 'docker run ...'" or "Open this
file in VirtualBox." If there is a desire to go further in the area of
accessibility, say in the appeal to people who are only interested in
managing data flow, an equivalent of boot2docker [http://boot2docker.io]
Take the templates, which I agree are needed and crucial, and autoload them
into the Docker container or VM image.
People that like what they see won't mind opening up a configuration file
and tweaking as needed and establishing an environment.
On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 11:13 AM, Joe Witt <jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello
>
> One could argue that we have no users at this point :-) But that shouldn't
> stop us from ensuring we lay down the foundation to help bring folks in and
> get them to be productive using it.
>
> While the application does provide a lot of in-line documentation we will
> need to setup a nice user guide which will document the basic concepts and
> functions of the application. Once the wiki and such is established we can
> post step-by-step guides and also include templates to help users quickly
> put a base flow together.
>
> Getting this right and ensuring it evolves is important for not just
> building a user base but also building a diverse contributor base.
>
> Please do fire out thoughts on things we should tackle/consider early on
> for users.
>
> Thanks
> Joe
>