[[!meta title="Clockworks"]]
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!
We have a mailing list - if you're interested in helping design the
app, just [let one of the developers know](mailto:clockworks@mit.edu)
and we'll add you to our mailing list, **clockworks**. Or if you just
want to hear more about what we're up to, blanche yourself to the
public list **clockworks-announce**.
## Development info
Our Git repository is located in AFS in the clockworks locker: /mit/clockworks/clockworks.git
## Phase 1
Doodle clone. 100% duplication of Doodle functionality. Modifications to improve usability as necessary.
### Pitfalls to avoid
What do people not like about Doodle?
* Too much clicking
* 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.
* No obvious "I can, but would rather not"
* Alleviated also by the above; this might want to be the default poll setup.
* 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
### What to do?
* 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?)
* Setup database configuration and installer (an auxiliary issue is the presence of an installer for people). (**ezyang**)
* Learn SQLAlchemy (**ezyang**)
* 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**)
* Write a .gitignore file for generated/not versionable items
* Get friendly URLs working
* Setup a zephyrbot that watches the repository
* [Configure](http://turbogears.org/2.0/docs/main/Config.html) the default TurboGears scaffolding
* Learn [Genshi](http://turbogears.org/2.0/docs/main/Genshi.html), the templating engine
* 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)
* Polish up and get SSL authentication working with TurboGears Identity (the two should be integrated together in a sane manner.)
* Write model classes for all of our tables
* Write controllers for each of the pages
### Architecture
* **Language**: Python 2.5+
* **Framework**: TurboGears 2.0
* **SCM**: Git
* **JavaScript**: Mochikit
* **Database**: SQLite for development, ? for production
* **ORM**: SQLAlchemy
* **Templating**: Genshi
Other ideas:
* Use 15 minute timeslices to simplify interface
### Principles
* Simplicity
* Extendibility
* Open Source
### Schema
You can view the database schema in *model.py*. Some notable features:
* 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
* 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
* `length` is likely common through all possible times for an event, so it's stored in both `time_slots` and `event`
* `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)
* `key` and `admin_key` in `event` refer to random values that will compose the URLs for events.
* 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
* The schema is not very generalized. Certain parts should definitely be generalized, but let's try to avoid the architecture astronaut syndrome.
### Page Inventory
List of "screens" in Doodle
* **/**: Home page (including login)
* **/help**: Help pages (screencasts, interactive JavaScript, etc.)
* **/new**: Schedule event (should be one-page-able)
* General info (title, description, name, email)
* Days (calendar, should be AJAX)
* Times (timezone (JS fill-in), add more timeslots, copypaste first row)
* Options (yes-no-ifneedbe, hidden poll, limit OKs)
* Poll created (admin, participant links)
* **/events/*event-name***: View poll (timezone, name, times, information, functions)
* **/events/*event-name*/edit**: Edit entry (completely wiki!)
* Delete entry
* **/events/*event-name*/comment**: Add a comment
* **/events/*event-name*/export**: Calendar export (both ways)
* File export (excel, pdf)
* **/events/*event-name*/feed**: Subscribe (atom, and then social feed services)
* **/events/*event-name*/embed**: Embed poll (iframe)
* **/events/*event-name*/admin**: Admin poll (participation link)
* **/events/*event-name*/admin/edit**: Edit poll (all original options)
* **/events/*event-name*/admin/history**: History
* **/events/*event-name*/admin/reset**: Delete all participants/comments
* **/events/*event-name*/admin/delete**: Delete poll
* **/signup**: Signup page
* **/myclockworks**: List of polls created by user, list of polls the user has participated in, links to creating a new event
* **/myclockworks/account** provides links to the following four links
* **/myclockworks/changeEmail**
* **/myclockworks/changePassword**
* **/myclockworks/editInformation**
* **/myclockworks/delete**
* 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
## Phase 2
Doodle killer. Extra features. Pump it up.
* Better UI
* Integration
* Basic: integration with ICS calendars, GoogleCalendar, Exchange, and TechTime (for faculty)
* Advanced: integration with MIT's course schedules, Facebook
* Would store persistent profiles of calendar data for users
* Automatically prioritize and schedule events for you
* Create mobile phone friendly version
* View of a single calendar month should show "ghosts" of days from immediately previous and immediately past months, to fill out all the weeks.
* Ability to convert Yes/No polls into Yes/Maybe/No polls (and vice versa)
* When setting up a new poll, ability to copy-paste the times for any arbitrary row into any number of other arbitrary rows
* "Generic week" function
* Indicates that the response is for a weekly meeting, not a specific date.
## Developers
* Geoffrey Thomas
* Paul Baranay
* Edward Yang
* Paul Weaver
* Xavid Pretzer
* Christian Ternus
* You?