I would like campers to share and discuss the different software and platforms currently available for mapping and timelines. A quick list, and please add more in the comments, for timelines would be: Simile, Chronos, Verite; for mapping (and timelines as well): Omeka, Viewshare, Historypin.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of these platforms (perhaps with an emphasis on the level of programming/technology knowledge required)? I personally use Omeka for my site, but my experience in that has led me to what I hope is a good segue into debating DH skill sets. I do not mean to rehash the longstanding debate, but possible questions are: When does programming knowledge turn into a gatekeeper, limiting the implementation of an idea/research? Do advanced programming skills reduce, even eliminate the need for collaboration with those who have those skills? If someone does not have these skills, what can/is the DH community doing to facilitate acquisition of those skills? Is a workshop in the timespan of one hour or hours enough to acquire those skills? Are w3schools or codeacademy useful self-teaching platforms? Are funding issues complicating big ideas for solutions to these questions?
I realize this panel proposal slightly overlaps with other proposals and may be better suited to two different sessions, perhaps leading to workshops led by experts in attendance. I look forward to hearing more ideas in the comments section.
Such tools are often asked for at Hunter by faculty in the History or Classics depts. and I have been lacking in answers so would be particularly interested in ways that would actually work in a course, be it undergrad of graduate.