Consider merging datagovuk/ckanext-ga-report

[rossjones]

The https://github.com/datagovuk/ckanext-ga-report extension provides usage information and charts based on the information collected in GA (see http://data.gov.uk/data/site-usage for the information we collect). It may well be worth merging into this repository (which will definitely need some work) as they are most definitely related.

[rufuspollock]

Seems a good idea. Would you be up for overseeing a merge?

[rossjones]

I think this is being re-written at DGU to be cleaner because it got out of hand really quickly.

On further reflection I don't think this should be a plugin at all. I think the key code for embedding GA codes (or Piwik codes) should be managed directly in core. Having the code in another extension is just a pain. The code for other stuff should be put into a 'ckanext-reports' package for generating publisher reports. This should also contain the ckanext-qa reports (so that qa can be more easily merged with archiver).

[nigelbabu]

@rossjones The more complex analytics features that we advertise don't work anymore, so I'm happy to work with you on a merge if you're interested.

[rossjones]

I don't think a merge of the GA stuff makes sense. I need it needs fixing another way.

Reports on usage are a key feature for publishers. And that's what ga_reports provides, but it is such a heinous mess that I think it's just delaying the inevitable. I'd definitely suggest fixing the complex parts another way, or waiting until DGU have finished their rework (which I believe uses Pandas).