Hi all,

I started on a rewrite of SqP's mod_virgule code - check SqP for
details, the latest version of the code can read the full database and
keeps up-to-date with the on-disk version by means of simple TTL on the
in-memory records. It can also write an RSS over all diaries, the next
step is to make a read-only interface (then do updating as well, and
finally replace the trust metric code).

The reason I'm doing this, is that I think that - with all due respect
for the current sites and all the work put into it - we need to phase
out the current hodgepodge of sites. It works fine for experienced
squeakers, but it's horrible for newbies and doesn't make a good first
impression (here's Mr. Marketing speaking again ;-)). 

My idea is to use SqP as the core for a Squeak Portal, which will
include:
- Squeak People: people, projects, diaries (blogs), news, and the trust
metric (with the note that account data may or may not come from SM2 -
the idea is in any case to have a network of Squeak-related sites around
this 'core' that employ single sign on);
- A Wiki: SmallWiki/Gardner based (the syntax is clean and there's a
conversion for it - the idea is to replace minnow), well-integrated into
the front page and using the trust metric for rights so that we get rid
of the graffiti kiddies; maybe per-project wiki's as well;
- Static content: about, download, links to other sites, etcetera;
- Mailing list pages and archives, well-integrated;
- Everything searchable (remember Scott Grady's search engine
performance patches from last year? They are low-level and mostly beyond
me to review, but gosh would I like these to go into 3.7).

The end result should be:
- A nice portal for Squeak where newbies get the information they want,
experienced Squeakers can quickly navigate around, and which makes the
impression of a serious, active, thriving community on the outside
world;
- Hopefully by good layering, the core of a generally applicable content
management framework (if you look at the stuff above, mostly everything
that you want in a CMF is there), putting Squeak firmly on #1 as the
choice platform for Smalltalk-based web sites;
- A central site and guidance for people who want to set up all sorts of
useful 'satellite sites' employing the global single-sign-on facilities.

Yeah, I know, just a bunch of modest ideas ;-). But, I think this is an
itch that needs scratching, and I also think that SqP is already quite a
big step towards something more portal-like. 

Ok, shoot...

-- 
tric, the new way             http://www.tric.nl         <cg at tric.nl>
Eerbeek, The Netherlands      tel +31 313 650854         fax +31 313 650967
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