X-Git-Url: https://sipb.mit.edu/gitweb.cgi/wiki.git/blobdiff_plain/dba9900639fdd1fb9b9093497220d711a142b44e..a66c7a9d6c6e5e072a0b1d480fafe29e1280ef71:/projects/clockworks.mdwn diff --git a/projects/clockworks.mdwn b/projects/clockworks.mdwn index 9132022..13418e1 100644 --- a/projects/clockworks.mdwn +++ b/projects/clockworks.mdwn @@ -1,36 +1,164 @@ -[[!meta title="Doodle Killer"]] +[[!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, or if you just want to hear more about what we're up to, blanche yourself onto **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**. + +## Getting started + +Clockworks is in pre-pre-alpha phase; most of the functionality hasn't been done yet. + +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.) + +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** + +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** + +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. + +Run the application by changing into your environment with **source tg2env/bin/activate** and then typing **paster serve --reload development.ini**. And voila; a very boilerplate TurboGears install should be facing you at http://localhost:8080 + +If these steps fail (which happens on some configurations of OS X and almost invariably on Windows), talk to us and we can get you set up with a copy running on scripts.mit.edu or xvm.mit.edu. + +Once you're running, here are some paths to take: + +1. Take a break and read some TurboGears documentation to get a feel for the framework +2. Browse through the todo list, pick a task that seems interesting, and start working on figuring out how to make it work +3. Browse the source, fiddle with some variables, see what changes +4. Decide what clockworks should look like, and take off + + +## 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 -* Python and Turbogears -* Git repository -* Use 15 minute timeslices to simplify interface (?) +* **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 -To be transferred from the whiteboard +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. -* Should integrate with ICS calendars -* TechTime/Exchange integration for faculty -* GoogleCalendar integration +* 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 +* David Benjamin +* Paul W. Quimby +* You? + +