X-Git-Url: http://git.hcoop.net/bpt/emacs.git/blobdiff_plain/2eebaacd6972cf05f4535651395172ecb790bb7e..ab5796a9f97180707734a81320e3eb81937281fe:/etc/tasks.texi diff --git a/etc/tasks.texi b/etc/tasks.texi index 72af6331ba..c4ecca49ff 100644 --- a/etc/tasks.texi +++ b/etc/tasks.texi @@ -2,121 +2,312 @@ @c %**start of header @setfilename tasks.info @settitle GNU Task List -@c UPDATE THIS DATE WHENEVER YOU MAKE CHANGES! -@set lastupdate 31 March 1995 +@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file: +@set lastupdate October 24, 2002 @c %**end of header +@c On behalf of the Volunteer Coordinators, I humbly request that anyone +@c who adds an entry to this file please add a pointer to some more info +@c about that project. People ask us (gvc@gnu.org) for more information +@c about these projects and it's embarrassing to ask around and find out +@c that nobody remembers what the project was supposed to be, or do. +@c We don't need a huge elaborate ISO-9001 document, just a couple of +@c paragraphs or a URL or something that explains what the e.g. ``stalker'' +@c project should do. It will save us all time in the future. +@c Thanks, toby@gnu.org +@c April 27, 2002 + +@dircategory GNU organization +@direntry +* Tasks: (tasks). GNU task list. +@end direntry + @setchapternewpage off +@copying +The GNU task list, last updated @value{lastupdate}. + +Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, +1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc. + +@quotation +Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, +are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright +notice and this notice are preserved. +@end quotation +@end copying + @titlepage @title GNU Task List @author Free Software Foundation @author last updated @value{lastupdate} +@page +@vskip 0pt plus 1filll +@insertcopying @end titlepage -@ifinfo -@node Top, Documentation, (dir), (dir) +@contents + +@ifnottex +@node Top, Intro, (dir), (dir) @top GNU Task List -This file is updated automatically from @file{tasks.texi}, which was -last updated on @value{lastupdate}. -@end ifinfo +@insertcopying -Check with @code{gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu}, for a possibly more current copy. -This task list is not exclusive; any other useful program might be a -good project---but it might instead be something we already have, so -check with @code{gnu@@prep} before you start writing it. +See also +@uref{http://www.gnu.org/help/help.html#helpgnu} for other suggested tasks. +@end ifnottex @menu +* Intro:: +* Highest Priority:: * Documentation:: * Unix-Related Projects:: * Kernel Projects:: * Extensions:: +* Java Projects:: * X Windows Projects:: +* Network Projects:: +* Encryption Projects:: * Other Projects:: -* Compilers:: +* Languages:: +* Education:: * Games and Recreations:: @end menu -If you start working steadily on a project, please let @code{gnu@@prep} +@node Intro, Highest Priority, Top, Top +@chapter About the GNU Task List + +If you did not obtain this file directly from the GNU project and +recently, please check for a newer version. You can ftp the task list +from any GNU FTP host in directory @file{/pub/gnu/tasks/}. The task +list is available there in several different formats: @file{tasks.text}, +@file{tasks.texi}, @file{tasks.info}, and @file{tasks.dvi}. +@c to fix an overfill, join the paragraphs -len +The task list is also available on the GNU World Wide Web server: +@uref{http://www.gnu.org/prep/tasks_toc.html}. + +If you start working steadily on a project, please let @email{gvc@@gnu.org} know. We might have information that could help you; we'd also like to send you the GNU coding standards. -Because of the natural tendency for most volunteers to write -programming tools or programming languages, we have a comparative -shortage of applications useful for non-programmer users. Therefore, -we ask you to consider writing such a program. +Because of the natural tendency for most volunteers to write programming +tools or programming languages, we have a comparative shortage of +applications useful for non-programmer users. Therefore, we ask you to +consider writing such a program. -In general, a new program that does a completely new job advances the -GNU project more than an improvement to an existing program. +Typically, a new program that does a completely new job advances +the GNU project, and the free software community, more than an +improvement to an existing program. -@node Documentation -@chapter Documentation +Typically, new features or new programs advance the free software +community more, in the long run, than porting existing programs. One +reason is that portable new features and programs benefit people on many +platforms, not just one. At the same time, there tend to be many +volunteers for porting---so your help will be more valuable in other +areas, where volunteers are more scarce. -We very urgently need documentation for some parts of the system -that already exist or will exist very soon: +Typically, it is more useful to extend a program in functionality than +to improve performance. Users who use the new functionality will +appreciate it very much, if they use it; but even when they benefit from +a performance improvement, they may not consider it very important. + +Finally, if you think of an important job that free software cannot +solve yet that is typically solved by proprietary software, please send +a short description of that job to @email{tasks@@gnu.org} so that we can +add it to this task list. + +@node Highest Priority, Documentation, Intro, Top +@chapter Highest Priority + +This task list mentions a large number of tasks that would be more or +less useful. With luck, at least one of them will inspire you to start +writing. It's better for you to work on any task that inspires you than +not write free software at all. + +But if you would like to work on what we need most, here is a list of +high priority projects. @itemize @bullet + @item -Completion of the documentation for CC-mode, a new C/C++ mode for -Emacs Lisp. + +If you are good at writing documentation, please do that. Pick a system +or program you like, and write a Free tutorial or manual for it. @item -A C reference manual. (RMS has written half of one which you could -start with). + +Help to finish the missing features of the @command{docbook2texi} so +that as many Docbook tags as possible can be translated into reasonable +Texinfo. See @uref{http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/todo.html} for a +task list of what needs to be done. @item -A manual for Ghostscript. -@c -@c @item -@c A manual for CSH. -@c Ick, do we want to encourage using THAT? -djm +If you are very good at C programming and interested in kernels, you +can help develop the GNU HURD, the kernel for the GNU system. Please +have a look at @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/hurd.html}, and +then join the HURD mailing lists at +@uref{http://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/hurd-contact}. @item -A manual for PIC (the graphics formatting language). +If you are a Scheme fan, you can help develop Guile. Please have a look +at the URL @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/guile/guile.html} +and then contact the Guile developers at @email{guile-devel@@gnu.org}. @item -A manual for Perl. (The books that exist are not free, and -thus not available to be part of the GNU system.) +Improve the facilities for translating other languages into Scheme, +so that Guile can provide support for a variety of languages. @item -A manual for Oleo. +A package to convert programs written using MS Access into Scheme, +making use of a free data base system and the GTK toolkit. @item -A book on how GCC works and why various machine descriptions -are written as they are. +A general-purpose document viewing program that can handle PostScript, +DVI, PDF, HTML, RTF, Word format and Word Perfect format. @item -A manual for programming X-window applications. +Help develop software to emulate Windows NT on top of GNU systems. +For example, you could help work on Wine. +See @uref{http://www.winehq.org/}. +@ignore +@c panda is a PDF generator library released under the GPL +@c http://www.stillhq.com/cgi-bin/getpage?area=panda&page=index.htm @item -Manuals for various X window managers. +A free replacement for pdflib. This is a library for generating PDF. +@end ignore @item -Reference cards for those manuals that don't have them: Gawk, C -Compiler, Make, Texinfo, Termcap and maybe the C Library. +Add gettext support to GNU programs that don't have it already. (Please +contact the developers of the specific packages that you want to work +on.) @item -Many utilities need documentation, including @code{grep}, @code{cpio}, -and other small utilities. +Develop a substitute, which runs on GNU systems, for some very popular +or very important application that many non-programmers use on Windows, +and which has no comparable free equivalent now. @end itemize -@node Unix-Related Projects -@chapter Unix-Related Projects +@node Documentation, Unix-Related Projects, Highest Priority, Top +@chapter Documentation + +We very urgently need documentation for many existing parts of the +system. + +Note that there are proprietary manuals for many of these topics, but +proprietary manuals do not count, for the same reason proprietary +software does not count: we are not free to copy and modify them. +We do not recommend any non-free materials as documentation. @itemize @bullet + @item -We could use an emulation of Unix @code{spell}, which would run by -invoking @code{ispell}. +A reference document for SQL for use as a standard for implementors of +free software versions of SQL. @item -Less urgent: @code{diction}, @code{explain}, @code{style}. +A manual for libstdc++. + +@ignore +@c the Indian TeX Users Group has completed a freely distributable version of a LaTex manual - http://www.tug.org.in/tutorials.html @item -An improved version of the POSIX utility @code{pax}. There is one on -the Usenet, but it is said to be poorly written. Talk with -@code{mib@@gnu.ai.mit.edu} about this project. +A unified manual for La@TeX{}. (Existing documentation is non-free.) +@end ignore +@ignore +@c docbook definitive guide http://www.docbook.org/tdg/en/html/ is now FDL +@item +A manual for Docbook SGML format. +@end ignore + +@item +A tutorial introduction to Midnight Commander. + +@item +A thorough manual for RCS. + +@item +A reference manual for Mach. + +@item +A reference manual for the GNU Hurd features in GNU libc. + +@item +A manual for writing Hurd servers. + +@ignore +@c this is done. +@item +A manual for GNU sed. +@end ignore + +@item +Reference manuals for C++, Objective C, Pascal, Fortran 77, and Java. + +@item +A tutorial manual for the C++ STL (standard template library). + +@item +A tutorial manual for Gforth. + +@item +GNU Objective-C Runtime Library Manual; this would be a reference manual +for the runtime library functions, structures, and classes. Some work +has been done on this job. + +@item +Manuals for GNUstep: developer tutorial, developer programming manual, +developer reference manual, and user manual. + +@item +A manual for Ghostscript. + +@item +A manual for TCSH. + +@item +A coherent free reference manual for Perl. Most of the Perl on-line +reference documentation can be used as a starting point, but work is +needed to weld them together into a coherent manual. + +@c Bradley M. Kuhn is working on this. Refer volunteers to +@c him. + +@item + +A good free Perl language tutorial introduction. The existing Perl +introductions are published with restrictions on copying and +modification, so that they cannot be part of a GNU system. bkuhn made a +start at a free tutorial, but a lot of work is needed. + + +@item +A manual for PIC (the graphics formatting language). + +@item +A book on how GCC works and why various machine descriptions +are written as they are. + +@item +A manual for programming applications for X11. + +@item +Manuals for various X window managers. + +@item +Reference cards for those manuals that don't have them: C +Compiler, Texinfo, Termcap, and maybe the C Library. + +@item +Many utilities still need documentation. +@end itemize + +@node Unix-Related Projects, Kernel Projects, Documentation, Top +@chapter Unix-Related Projects + +@itemize @bullet @ignore @item Modify the GNU @code{dc} program to use the math routines of GNU @@ -124,16 +315,19 @@ Modify the GNU @code{dc} program to use the math routines of GNU @end ignore @item -A @code{grap} preprocessor program for @code{troff}. +Rewrite @code{indent} from scratch to make it cleaner. @item -Various other libraries. +Write a free software replacement for the @code{agrep} program. @item -An emulation of SCCS that works using RCS. +Less urgent: make a replacement for the ``writer's workbench'' program +@code{style}, or something to do the same kind of job. Compatibility +with Unix is not especially important for this program. + @end itemize -@node Kernel Projects +@node Kernel Projects, Extensions, Unix-Related Projects, Top @chapter Kernel-Related Projects @itemize @bullet @@ -155,9 +349,17 @@ need some changes. @item A shared memory X11 server to run under MACH is very desirable. The machine specific parts should be kept well separated. + +@item +An implementation of CIFS, the ``Common Internet File System,'' for the +HURD. This protocol is an offshoot of SMB. + +@item +Support (in Linux?) for dumping the non-textual contents of an SVGA +console. @end itemize -@node Extensions +@node Extensions, Java Projects, Kernel Projects, Top @chapter Extensions to Existing GNU Software @itemize @bullet @@ -166,11 +368,21 @@ Enhance GCC. See files @file{PROJECTS} and @file{PROBLEMS} in the GCC distribution. @item -GNU @code{sed} probably needs to be rewritten completely just to make it -cleaner. +Interface GDB to Guile, so that users can write debugging commands in +Scheme. This would also make it possible to write, in Scheme, a +graphical interface that uses GTK and is tightly integrated into GDB. + +@item +Extend Octave to support programs that were written +to run on Khoros. + +@item +Rewrite Automake in Scheme, so it can run in Guile. Right now it is +written in Perl. There are also other programs, not terribly long, +which we would also like to have rewritten in Scheme. @item -Work on the partially-implemented C interpreter project. +Finish the partially-implemented C interpreter project. @item Help with the development of GNUstep, a GNU implementation of the @@ -192,105 +404,240 @@ An @code{nroff} macro package to simplify @code{texi2roff}. A queueing system for the mailer Smail that groups pending work by destination rather than by original message. This makes it possible to schedule retries coherently for each destination. Talk to -@code{tron@@veritas.com} about this. +@email{tron@@veritas.com} and @email{woods@@weird.com} about this. -Smail also needs a new chief maintainer. +@end itemize + +@node Java Projects, X Windows Projects, Extensions, Top +@chapter Java Projects + +@itemize @bullet @item -Enhanced cross-reference browsing tools. (We now have something at -about the level of @code{cxref}.) We also could use something like -@code{ctrace}. (Some people are now working on this project.) +The GNU Classpath Extensions project is looking for help. classpathx +builds free versions of Sun's java extension libraries, the packages +in the javax namespace. + +@item +Write a replacement for the javadoc utility. The Classpath +(@uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath}) team has already made a +start to one. + + @end itemize -@node X Windows Projects +@node X Windows Projects, Network Projects, Java Projects, Top @chapter X Windows Projects @itemize @bullet @item An emulator for Macintosh graphics calls on top of X Windows. +@ignore +@c winelib does this http://www.winehq.org/ @item -A music playing and editing system. +A package that emulates the API of Visual C++'s Foundation Classes +(MFC), but operates on top of X11. It need not match the screen +appearance provided by MFC. Instead, it would be best to use GTK, so as +to give coherence with GNOME. +@end ignore +@ignore +@c GNOME Basic is doing this @item -A "disk jockey" program to keep track of a collection of recorded music -samples (songs, etc), and queue up a sequence of them for playing. This -program could use rplay to do the actual playing. +A compatible replacement for Visual Basic, running on top of X11. +It need not match the screen appearance of Visual C++. Instead, +it would be best to use GTK, so as to give coherence with GNOME. +@end ignore +@ignore +@c Denemo is doing this. @item -A program to edit dance notation (such as labanotation) and display -dancers moving on the screen. +A music playing and editing system. This should work with LilyPond, a +GNU program for music typesetting. +@end ignore +@ignore @c GNUskies should do this @item -Port the Vibrant toolkit to work on X without using Motif. +An ephemeris program to replace xephem (which is, alas, too restricted +to qualify as free software). +@end ignore + +@c Gepetto (@url{http://laurent.riesterer.free.fr/gepetto/intro-main.html}, +@c @email{laurent.riesterer@@free.fr}), according to @email{gnueval@@gnu.org}, +@c does the job of displaing dancers but does not allow editing notation. + @item -A widget for displaying circle-shaped menus ("pie menus") with X -windows. +Make sure the Vibrant toolkit works with LessTif instead of Motif. @item A program to display and edit Hypercard stacks. @item -An interface-builder program to make it easy to design graphical -interfaces for applications. This could work with the dynamic linker -DLD and C++, loading in the same class definitions that will be used -by the application program. +A two-dimensional outliner program, which lets you draw +graph structures of textual items, and then display them +in various ways. + +@ignore @c done +@item +A program for graphic morphing of scanned photographs. +@end ignore + +@ignore @c Done by gLabels +@item +Software for designing and printing business cards. +@end ignore +@end itemize + +@node Network Projects, Encryption Projects, X Windows Projects, Top +@chapter Network Projects + +@itemize @bullet +@ignore +@c Cornell has released a program for this. +@item +A teleconferencing program which does the job of CU-SeeMe (which is, +alas, not free software). +@end ignore + +@ignore +@c Bishop Bettini is working on this. +@item +A free ICQ-compatible server program. (The ICQ server itself is not +free software.) +@end ignore +@ignore +@c if anyone knows what this means please send email to gvc@gnu.org @item -A "desktop" program with drag-and-drop icons and such. +Free software like Stalker for operating a web server for email +services. +@end ignore +@end itemize + +@node Encryption Projects, Other Projects, Network Projects, Top +@chapter Encryption Projects + +These projects need to be written outside the US by people who are not +US citizens, to avoid problems with US export control law. + +@itemize @bullet +@ignore +@c libcrypt is doing this. +@item +A free library for public-key encryption. This library can probably be +developed from the code for the GNU Privacy Guard. +@end ignore + +@ignore @item -A paint program, supporting both bitmap-oriented operations and -component-oriented operations. @code{xpaint} exists, but isn't very -usable. +@c GNUtls is doing this. +An implementation of SSLv3 (more precisely, TLSv1) which has +distribution terms compatible with the GNU GPL. We know of a +GPL-covered implemention of a version of SSL that you can use as a +starting point. +@end ignore +@ignore +@c akopia interchange appears to do this. if you'd like to re-open this +@c item please let the GVC know what you want (in some detail) @item -A program for manipulating photographs---something vaguely like Photo -Shop (though not exactly like it). +Free software for doing secure commercial transactions on the web. +This should be based on libgcrypt and GNUtls. +@end ignore + @end itemize -@node Other Projects +@node Other Projects, Languages, Encryption Projects, Top @chapter Other Projects If you think of others that should be added, please -send them to @code{gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu}. +send them to @email{tasks@@gnu.org}. @itemize @bullet + +@ignore +@c vcg as of version 1.30 (current as of 2002-10-24) is GPL +@c toby 2002-10-24 @item -[This seems to be being done:] -A program to convert Postscript to plain ASCII text. Ghostscript will -soon have a mode to output all the text strings in a document, each with -its coordinates. You could write a program to start with this output -and ``layout the page'' in ASCII. The program will be both easier and -more useful if you don't worry pedantically about how the output text -should be formatted. Instead, try to make it look reasonable as plain -ASCII. +A library for automatic graph layout. VCG version 1.0, which was free +software, might provide a base for this. +@end ignore @item -A program to convert compiled programs represented in OSF ANDF -(``Architecture Neutral Distribution Format'') into ANSI C. +A data visualization program along the lines of xgobi or ggobi. + +@item +A graph visualization program, which would use that library and +provide a front end for manual and interactive intervention so as to +provide a full substitute for equivalent proprietory software. It +would be good to support DOT format as input, and perhaps other +formats. + +@c Such proprietary software is daVinci and graphviz, but are uncommon enough +@c that we don't mention them here publicly. +@c http://www.research.att.com/~erg/graphviz/info/lang.html +@c Some useful information about graph drawing programs can be found here +@c http://www.research.att.com/sw/tools/graphviz/gdlinks.html + +@c At the time of making this entry, VCG's website was +@c http://rw4.cs.uni-sb.de/users/sander/html/gsvcg1.html + +@item + +A ``one stop shopping system'' for advocates involved with social +justice or other non-profit campaigns. The idea would be to create an +easy-to-use interface to software that would allow someone to register a +domain for their organisation, build a website, and set up mailing +lists. The software would need options to easily do all this, and be +made easy for non-hackers. Mainly the work would involve bringing +together a number of existing tools with an overriding configuration +program. + +@ignore LinuxBIOS is doing this +@item +A simple PC BIOS. On most new PCs, the BIOS is stored in writable +memory (misleadingly known as ``flash ROM''). In order to have a wholly +free system on these PCs, we need a free BIOS. + +This task is made simpler by the fact that this BIOS need only support +enough features to enable a boot-loader such as LILO or GRUB to finish +loading the kernel. Neither Linux nor Mach actually uses the BIOS once +it starts up. Also, it is not absolutely necessary to do all the many +diagnostics that an ordinary BIOS does (though it would be useful to do +some of them). However, there may be a need to configure certain data +in the computer in a way that is specific to each model of computer. +@end ignore @item An imitation of Page Maker or Ventura Publisher. @item -An imitation of @code{dbase2} or @code{dbase3} (How dbased!) +An imitation of @code{dbase2} or @code{dbase3}. (How dbased!) +Harbour, a free replacement for Clipper, would provide a useful start. +@uref{http://www.harbour-project.org/}. +@ignore @c being done by Jonas etc. @item -A program to reformat Fortran programs in a way that is pretty. +A general ledger program, including support for accounts payable, +account receivables, payroll, inventory control, order processing, etc. +@end ignore @item -A bulletin board system. There are a few free ones, but they don't have -all the features that people want in such systems. It would make sense -to start with an existing one and add the other features. +A free replacement for Glimpse, which is not free software. +Swish does some parts of the job, but not all. @item -A general ledger program. +Software for desktop publishing. We are extending Emacs into a WYSIWYG +word processor, to handle primarily linear text; what this item proposes +is software focused on page layout. +@ignore It looks like TruePrint will fill this gap @item -A program to typeset C code for printing. -For ideas on what to do, see the forthcoming book, +A program to typeset C code for printing, to make it easier to read on +paper. For ideas on what to do, see the book, @display Human Factors and Typography for More Readable Programs, @@ -298,94 +645,246 @@ Ronald M. Baecker and Aaron Marcus, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-10745-7 @end display -(I don't quite agree with a few of the details they propose.) +But you don't have to do exactly what they propose. +@end ignore +@ignore +@c This is now being worked on -- rms, 22 June 1998 @item -Speech-generation programs (there is a program from Brown U that you -could improve). +A program to convert Microsoft Word documents to text/enriched, TeX, +LaTeX, Texinfo, or some other format that free software can edit. +@end ignore + +@ignore +@c People are helping the developer of siff release it as free software. @item -Speech-recognition programs (single-speaker, disconnected speech). +A free replacement for siff (sometimes called sif). This would be a +program to find similar files in a large file system, ``similar'' +meaning that the files contain a significant number of common substrings +that are of a certain size or greater. You can find some information +about siff (which is, unfortunately, not free software) at +@uref{ftp://ftp.cs.arizona.edu/reports/1993/TR93-33.ps.Z}. +@end ignore +@ignore +@c This is being developed -- rms, 3 May 1998 @item -Scientific mathematical subroutines, including clones of SPSS. +A free replacement for the semi-free Qt library. +@end ignore + +@ignore +@c Ogg Vorbis is doing this, see @url{http://www.xiph.org/ogg/vorbis/index.html} or contact @email{Monty }. @item -Statistical tools. +High-quality music compression software. +(Talk with @email{mt@@sulaco.org} for relevant suggestions.) +Unfortunately we cannot implement the popular MP3 format +due to patents, so this job includes working out some other +non-patented format and compression method. +@end ignore @item -Software to replace card catalogues in libraries. +A program to play sound distributed in ``Real Audio'' format, if only +because there is a large corpus of data encoded in this format. We +ask that you encode audio data in Ogg/Vorbis format since it is +publically documented and there are Free Software encoders and +decoders available. +@ignore +@c we do NOT want to provide software to encode data into proprietary secret formats. People should use ogg/vorbis or another well-documented format instead @item -Grammar and style checking programs. +A program to generate ``Real Audio'' format from audio input. +@end ignore @item -An implementation of the S language (an interpreted languages used for -statistics). +Programs to handle audio in RTSP format. +@ignore @c Software patents have made this domain off limits to free software. @item -A translator from Scheme to C. +An MPEG III audio encoder/decoder (but it is necessary to check, first, +whether patents make this impossible). +@c Chris Hofstader is working on a non-Festival speech-generation program. +@c Mario Lang reports that Festival needs only +@c to be 2-5 times faster to work well with Emacspeak. @item -Optical character recognition programs; especially if suitable for -scanning documents with multiple fonts and capturing font info as well -as character codes. This may not be very difficult if you let it -@emph{train} on part of the individual document to be scanned, so as to -learn what fonts are in use in that document. We would particularly -like to scan the Century Dictionary, an unabridged dictionary now in the -public domain. +Speech-generation programs that are faster than the Festival engine. +This might be done by optimizing Festival. -You don't need scanning hardware to work on OCR. We can send you -bitmaps you can use as test data. +@c We have a project now. +@item +Speech-recognition programs (single-speaker, disconnected speech is sufficient). +@end ignore -We may soon have an OCR program, but it will need lots of additional work. +@item +A braille translation and formatting system which can convert marked up +documents into braille. This should let the user customize the braille +translation rules; it would be good to divide it into a +device-independent part plus drivers. Contact Jason White, +@email{jasonw@@ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU}. + +@ignore Being done +@item +A program to display text word by word, always showing just one word at +a time. This method permits much faster reading than ordinary text +display. If you want to work on this, contact @email{stutz@@dsl.org} to +learn more. +@end ignore + +@item +More scientific mathematical subroutines. +(A clone of SPSS is being written already.) + +@item +A scientific data collection and processing tool, +perhaps something like Scientific Workbench and/or Khoros, @item -A program to scan a line drawing and convert it to Postscript. +A free replacement for SciRun, which is not free software. @item -A program to recognize handwriting. +A program to calculate properties of molecules by solving +the Schroedinger equation. + + +@ignore +@c the Koha project appears to satisfy this need. see www.koha.org +@c toby 2002-06-21 @item -A pen based interface. +Software to replace card catalogs in libraries. +@end ignore + @item -Software suitable for creating virtual reality user interfaces. +A simulator for heating and air conditioning systems for buildings. + +@ignore +@c Pat Deegan @email{pat@@psychogenic.com} is working on this. +@c no URL yet, the status is updated in @file{volunteers} + +@item +A program for voting and tabulating election results. + +@end ignore + +@ignore +@c at least 4 GPL program exist for this purpose (one of +@c which, gramps, has a GNOME UI): +@c http://www.gnu.org/search/fsd-search.py?q=geneology +@c 2002-06-27 toby + +@item +A package for editing genealogical records conveniently. +This could perhaps be done as a Gnome program, or perhaps +as an Emacs extension. + +@end ignore + +@ignore +@c ToutDoux aims to do this. +@c also Minkowsky (at least simple project management) - toby + +@item +A project-scheduling package that accepts a list of project sub-tasks +with their interdependencies, and generates Gantt charts and Pert charts +and all the other standard project progress reports. +@end ignore + +@item +Grammar and style checking programs. + +@item +A diagnostic program to test a hard disk. + +@item +Optical character recognition programs; especially if suitable for +scanning documents with multiple fonts and capturing font info as well +as character codes. Work is being done on this, but more help is needed. + +@c Some of the OCR work being done: +@c Luis Cearra , http://lem.eui.upm.es/ocre.html +@c The status of these projects is updated in @file{/gd/gnuorg/volunteers} + +@item +A program to scan a line drawing and convert it to editable Postscript, +or some other editable format. + +@item +A program to recognize handwriting (we don't believe PocketLinux's +handwriting capability is ready for non-PocketLinux environments, yet). + + +@item +A program that can translate from one natural language, into another. +For example, a program to translate French into English. @item CAD software, such as a vague imitation of Autocad. @item -Software for displaying molecules. +A program to receive data from a serial-line tap to facilitate the +reverse-engineering of communication protocols. + +@item +A database program designed to store and retrieve patent information. @item -Software for comparing DNA sequences, and finding matches and -alignments. +A free software package to run on a Palm Pilot in place of its usual +software, doing more or less the usual jobs. (Linux, the kernel, has +apparently been ported, but according to what we hear this port is not +useful yet.) + @end itemize -@node Compilers -@chapter Compilers for Other Batch Languages +@node Languages, Education, Other Projects, Top +@chapter Programming Languages Volunteers are needed to write parsers/front ends for languages such as -Algol 60, Algol 68, PL/I, or whatever, to be used with the code -generation phases of the GNU C compiler. (C++ and Objective C are done, -Fortran is now in beta test, and Ada and Pascal are being worked on. +Algol 60, Algol 68, PL/I, Cobol, Fortran 90, Delphi, Modula 2, Modula 3, +RPG, and any other languages designed for compilation, to be used with +the code generation phases of the GNU C compiler. -@c Fortran status is here so gnu@prep and the volunteer coordinators +@ignore +@c Fortran status is here so gnu@gnu.org and the volunteer coordinators @c don't have to answer the question -len +@c as of 2002-09 this doesn't work anymore - toby You can get the status of the Fortran front end with this command: @example -finger -l fortran@@gnu.ai.mit.edu +finger -l fortran@@gnu.org @end example +@end ignore -@node Games and Recreations -@chapter Games and Recreations +We would like to have translators from various languages into Scheme. +These languages include TCL, Python, Perl, Java, Javascript, and Rexx. +Perhaps Clipper as well. + +@node Education, Games and Recreations, Languages, Top +@chapter Education + +Programs for studying, teaching or doing administrative tasks in schools. +See @uref{http://www.gnu.org/education/} for additional information. @itemize @bullet @item -Video-oriented games should work with the X window system. +A program to organize automatically the schedule of a school given +constraints about teachers, rooms, times, and students. +@item +A program to edit dance notation (such as labanotation) and display +dancers moving on the screen. Gepetto does some of this work. Contact +@email{gvc@@gnu.org} if you are interested in helping finish the job. + +@end itemize + +@node Games and Recreations, , Education, Top +@chapter Games and Recreations + +Video-oriented games that work with the X window system. + +@itemize @bullet @item Empire (there is a free version but it needs upgrading) @@ -394,7 +893,24 @@ An ``empire builder'' system that makes it easy to write various kinds of simulation games. @item -Imitations of popular video games: +Improve GnuGo @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo.html}. + +@item +Network servers and clients for board and card games for which such +software does not yet exist. + +@item +A Hierarchical Task Network package which can be used +to program play the computer's side in various strategic games. + +@item +A game like Mill/Nine Men's Morris. + +@item +A realistic train-driving simulator. + +@item +Write imitations of some popular video games: @itemize - @item @@ -404,26 +920,45 @@ Defending cities from missiles. @item Plane shoots at lots of other planes, tanks, etc. @item -Wizard fights fanciful monster. +Wizard fights fanciful monsters. +@ignore Peter Sundling peter.sundling@telia.com expressed interest in this. @item A golf game. +@ignore Being done by jhall1@isd.net @item Program a robot by sticking building blocks together, then watch it explore a world. +@end ignore @item -Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American). -@item -A program to display effects of moving at relativistic speeds. +Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American and @cite{The Blind +Watchmaker}). @end itemize - -@item -Intriguing screen-saver programs to make interesting pictures. -Other such programs that are simply entertaining to watch. -For example, an aquarium. @end itemize We do not need @code{rogue}, as we have @code{hack}. -@contents @bye +@c LocalWords: dir texi lastupdate uref http www org html helpgnu ifinfo ftp +@c LocalWords: dvi hurd toc gvc URL GTK XmHTML xs nl ripley NT com gettext Qt +@c LocalWords: GUI libstdc Docbook SGML libc sed STL Gforth GNUstep TCSH Perl +@c LocalWords: Ghostscript PIC GCC Texinfo grep dc bc ethernet GDB IP CIFS CU +@c LocalWords: SMB SVGA Khoros Automake OpenStep diff roff Smail tron veritas +@c LocalWords: cxref ctrace API LilyPond xephem labanotation LessTif outliner +@c LocalWords: Hypercard morphing SeeMe ICQ Diffie Helman RSA SSLv TLSv GPL +@c LocalWords: OpenBIOS BIOS LILO dbase dbased Harbour harbour WYSIWYG ISBN +@c LocalWords: TruePrint Baecker siff sif cs arizona edu TR ps mt sulaco MP +@c LocalWords: RTSP MPEG jasonw ariel ucs unimelb AU stutz dsl TCL Javascript +@c LocalWords: Rexx GnuGo jhall isd Biomorph regexp eval gd gnuorg + +Local variables: +eval: (add-hook 'write-file-hooks 'time-stamp) +time-stamp-start: "@set lastupdate " +time-stamp-end: "$" +time-stamp-format: "%:b %:d, %:y" +compile-command: "make just-tasks" +End: + +@ignore + arch-tag: 7ed10085-fa7c-47d4-9ed5-39e885603e5c +@end ignore