1 [[!meta title="Clockworks"]]
3 Hey guys, I heard there was this app called [Doodle](http://www.doodle.com/main.html). It's closed source. Let's make an open-source Doodle killer and call it Clockworks!
5 We have a mailing list - if you're interested in helping design the
6 app, just [let one of the developers know](mailto:clockworks@mit.edu)
7 and we'll add you to our mailing list, **clockworks**. Or if you just
8 want to hear more about what we're up to, blanche yourself to the
9 public list **clockworks-announce**.
13 Clockworks is in pre-pre-alpha phase; most of the functionality hasn't been done yet.
15 The best way to get started with Clockworks is to get yourself added to the project, grab a copy of the code, get it running on your laptop, and then poke around the source code. We also have a Hiveminder project with bite-sized tasks that you can work on (ping a project maintainer to get invited.)
17 First, make sure you have Git installed on your system. You can grab it [here](http://git-scm.com/download). Verify that it installed by popping open a terminal and running **git --version**
19 Next, grab the source code. If you have Debathena installed on your machine, you can clone the source using **git clone /mit/clockworks/clockworks.git**. If not, you can use a dialup to get to the directory; **git clone ssh://username@linerva.mit.edu/mit/clockworks/clockworks.git** works well. If the clone succeeds, you will now have a folder named "clockworks". **cd clockworks**
21 Now, to install the application. Assuming that you have a reasonable version of Python on your system, running **./nosudo-virtualenv.sh** should set up the environment. If it succeeds, you'll see the help output for a command named paster.
23 Run the application by changing into your environment with **source tg2env/bin/activate** and then typing **paster serve development.ini**. And voila; a very boilerplate TurboGears install should be facing you at http://localhost:8080
29 Our Git repository is located in AFS in the clockworks locker: /mit/clockworks/clockworks.git
33 Doodle clone. 100% duplication of Doodle functionality. Modifications to improve usability as necessary.
37 What do people not like about Doodle?
40 * We can deal with this by collapsing the three-page wizard Doodle has into a single page. Be careful not to sacrifice too much simplicity for such a setup.
41 * No obvious "I can, but would rather not"
42 * Alleviated also by the above; this might want to be the default poll setup.
43 * Trac, one of the first Python web applications to hit mainstream, was long bemoaned for being complex to install. Try not to have the same story
47 * <del>Work through the [TurboGears tutorial](http://docs.turbogears.org/1.0/Wiki20/Page1) (the tutorial seems to focus on SQLObject, which is not necessarily the best thing. Maybe someone can find some better docs?)</del>
48 * <del>Setup database configuration and installer (an auxiliary issue is the presence of an installer for people). (**ezyang**)</del>
49 * Learn SQLAlchemy (**ezyang**)
50 * <del>Make sure the default scaffolding works on Scripts (this includes running TurboGears as CGI). Any work done here should be considered for a TurboGears auto-installer, the equivalent of tgsetup) (**ezyang**)</del>
51 * <del>Write a .gitignore file for generated/not versionable items</del>
52 * <del>Get friendly URLs working</del>
53 * <del>Setup a zephyrbot that watches the repository</del>
54 * [Configure](http://turbogears.org/2.0/docs/main/Config.html) the default TurboGears scaffolding
55 * Learn [Genshi](http://turbogears.org/2.0/docs/main/Genshi.html), the templating engine
56 * Learn [Widgets](http://turbogears.org/2.0/docs/main/ToscaWidgets/forms.html) (we'll be using them for all of the forms in this website)
57 * Polish up and get SSL authentication working with TurboGears Identity (the two should be integrated together in a sane manner.)
58 * Write model classes for all of our tables
59 * Write controllers for each of the pages
63 * **Language**: Python 2.5+
64 * **Framework**: TurboGears 2.0
66 * **JavaScript**: Mochikit
67 * **Database**: SQLite for development, ? for production
69 * **Templating**: Genshi
73 * Use 15 minute timeslices to simplify interface
83 You can view the database schema in *model.py*. Some notable features:
85 * All `user.user_id` foreign keys are paired with an `anon_name` field. If user_id is null, then the associated entity was posted by an anonymous user, and `anon_name` contains the name they submitted for themselves
86 * The current `time_slots` table uses `DateTime` and `Interval` to define events. We should consider whether or not 15 minute timeslices will be the native representation in the database, or simply a simpler model for the interface
87 * `length` is likely common through all possible times for an event, so it's stored in both `time_slots` and `event`
88 * `events.timezone` represents the timezone that the event is occurring in, so we can give user-friendly times. If this field is null, then the creator's `user.timezone` field is used (if that is also null, we should probably use EST)
89 * `key` and `admin_key` in `event` refer to random values that will compose the URLs for events.
90 * For full backwards compatibility, `hidden` and `extended` are stored as boolean attributes (the former refers to hiding the responses of users, the latter refers to allowing Yes/No/IfNeedBe responses). We may want to consider an alternate model for these properties
91 * The schema is not very generalized. Certain parts should definitely be generalized, but let's try to avoid the architecture astronaut syndrome.
95 List of "screens" in Doodle
97 * **/**: Home page (including login)
98 * **/help**: Help pages (screencasts, interactive JavaScript, etc.)
99 * **/new**: Schedule event (should be one-page-able)
100 * General info (title, description, name, email)
101 * Days (calendar, should be AJAX)
102 * Times (timezone (JS fill-in), add more timeslots, copypaste first row)
103 * Options (yes-no-ifneedbe, hidden poll, limit OKs)
104 * Poll created (admin, participant links)
105 * **/events/*event-name***: View poll (timezone, name, times, information, functions)
106 * **/events/*event-name*/edit**: Edit entry (completely wiki!)
108 * **/events/*event-name*/comment**: Add a comment
109 * **/events/*event-name*/export**: Calendar export (both ways)
110 * File export (excel, pdf)
111 * **/events/*event-name*/feed**: Subscribe (atom, and then social feed services)
112 * **/events/*event-name*/embed**: Embed poll (iframe)
113 * **/events/*event-name*/admin**: Admin poll (participation link)
114 * **/events/*event-name*/admin/edit**: Edit poll (all original options)
115 * **/events/*event-name*/admin/history**: History
116 * **/events/*event-name*/admin/reset**: Delete all participants/comments
117 * **/events/*event-name*/admin/delete**: Delete poll
118 * **/signup**: Signup page
119 * **/myclockworks**: List of polls created by user, list of polls the user has participated in, links to creating a new event
120 * **/myclockworks/account** provides links to the following four links
121 * **/myclockworks/changeEmail**
122 * **/myclockworks/changePassword**
123 * **/myclockworks/editInformation**
124 * **/myclockworks/delete**
125 * Note: Doodle functions by creating two links per event: one for the public and one for administrator, but anyone can follow either link if they know what it is
129 Doodle killer. Extra features. Pump it up.
133 * Basic: integration with ICS calendars, GoogleCalendar, Exchange, and TechTime (for faculty)
134 * Advanced: integration with MIT's course schedules, Facebook
135 * Would store persistent profiles of calendar data for users
136 * Automatically prioritize and schedule events for you
137 * Create mobile phone friendly version
138 * View of a single calendar month should show "ghosts" of days from immediately previous and immediately past months, to fill out all the weeks.
139 * Ability to convert Yes/No polls into Yes/Maybe/No polls (and vice versa)
140 * When setting up a new poll, ability to copy-paste the times for any arbitrary row into any number of other arbitrary rows
141 * "Generic week" function
142 * Indicates that the response is for a weekly meeting, not a specific date.
153 * <a href="mailto:clockworks@mit.edu">You?</a>