From owner-freebsd-ports@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Nov 20 01:35:21 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D7D8B16A41F for ; Sun, 20 Nov 2005 01:35:21 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from vizion@vizion.occoxmail.com) Received: from dukecmmtao03.coxmail.com (dukecmmtao03.coxmail.com [68.99.120.70]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7053443D88 for ; Sun, 20 Nov 2005 01:35:16 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from vizion@vizion.occoxmail.com) Received: from dns1 ([64.58.171.82]) by dukecmmtao03.coxmail.com (InterMail vM.6.01.05.02 201-2131-123-102-20050715) with ESMTP id <20051120013532.WZTK3326.dukecmmtao03.coxmail.com@dns1> for ; Sat, 19 Nov 2005 20:35:32 -0500 From: Vizion To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2005 17:29:07 -0800 User-Agent: KMail/1.8 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Message-Id: <200511191729.07905.vizion@vizion.occoxmail.com> Subject: GoFigure project X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 01:35:22 -0000 Hi In the past I have discussed my interest in trying to build a viable web interface for documenting and maintaining configurations for freebsd. I now have a specific project in mind that I have labelled GoFigure and would value some feedback from this list of reactions to the proposal and opinions about GoFigure's viability, appeal, extensibility and the degree of collaboration that could be anticipated. The basic concept is simple in concept but will require a lot of work and collaboration. I suggest that GoFigure_1.0 would represent the achievement of the following five loosely described stages: 1. Creation of XML schema to cover the definition, validation, interpretation, documentation, & editing rules for configuration files in freebsd ports. 2. Building a parser to generate an XML version of configuration files. 3. Building an XSLT based processing system that also converts XML versions of configuration files into the configuration file(s) required by each port. 4. Creating a mysql database for storing and manipulating the data. 5. Creating a web application that uses the XML versions of the condiguration files to provide a sysadmin interface to inspect, validate, maintain, edit, track, document and finally generate configuration file updates using the tools built in stages 1>4. In the long term I see some potential for dynamic use of the metadata and data in the XML files for XML based applications to manipulate and manage updates and for comparing different system configurations. If I decide to proceed with this project I have a limited amount of time that I can devote to it and my enthusiasm for it will, I think, largely depend upon how useful a contribution others feel it would be to freebsd and how willing committers might be to collaborating with it. comments please david -- 40 yrs navigating and computing in blue waters. English Owner & Captain of British Registered 60' bluewater Ketch S/V Taurus. Currently in San Diego, CA. Sailing bound for Europe via Panama Canal after completing engineroom refit.