1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
|
|
|
|
@c %**start of header
|
|
|
|
@setfilename tasks.info
|
|
|
|
@settitle GNU Task List
|
1997-02-02 02:03:41 +00:00
|
|
|
@c UPDATE THIS DATE WHENEVER YOU MAKE CHANGES!
|
1997-09-16 21:25:41 +00:00
|
|
|
@set lastupdate 16 September 1997
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@c %**end of header
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@setchapternewpage off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@titlepage
|
|
|
|
@title GNU Task List
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@author Free Software Foundation
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@author last updated @value{lastupdate}
|
|
|
|
@end titlepage
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@ifinfo
|
1997-07-03 22:16:37 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Top, Intro, (dir), (dir)
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@top GNU Task List
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
This file is updated automatically from @file{tasks.texi}, which was
|
|
|
|
last updated on @value{lastupdate}.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end ifinfo
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
* Intro::
|
|
|
|
* Highest Priority::
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
* Documentation::
|
|
|
|
* Unix-Related Projects::
|
|
|
|
* Kernel Projects::
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
* Extensions::
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
* X Windows Projects::
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
* Encryption Projects::
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
* Other Projects::
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
* Compilers::
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
* Games and Recreations::
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Intro
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
@chapter About the GNU Task List
|
|
|
|
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
If you did not obtain this file directly from the GNU project and
|
1997-07-04 04:44:53 +00:00
|
|
|
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
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
list is available there in several different formats: @file{tasks.text},
|
1997-07-04 04:43:36 +00:00
|
|
|
@file{tasks.texi}, @file{tasks.info}, and @file{tasks.dvi}. The GNU
|
|
|
|
HURD task list is also there in file @file{tasks.hurd}.
|
|
|
|
@c to fix an overfill, join the paragraphs -len
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
The task list is also available on the GNU World Wide Web server:
|
|
|
|
@url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu/prep/tasks_toc.html}.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
If you start working steadily on a project, please let @code{gnu@@prep}
|
|
|
|
know. We might have information that could help you; we'd also like to
|
|
|
|
send you the GNU coding standards.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
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.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-03-22 07:36:21 +00:00
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Highest Priority
|
|
|
|
@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
|
1997-07-26 01:52:56 +00:00
|
|
|
If you are good at writing documentation, please do that.
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
If you are very good at C programming and interested in kernels, you can
|
1997-07-04 04:43:36 +00:00
|
|
|
help develop the GNU HURD, the kernel for the GNU system. Please have a
|
|
|
|
look at @url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu/software/hurd/hurd.html}, and
|
|
|
|
then get a copy of the latest HURD task list from:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
@url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu/prep/tasks.hurd.html}, via the World Wide
|
|
|
|
Web.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
@url{ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu/tasks/tasks.hurd}, via anonymous FTP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
@email{gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu} via e-mail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-07-04 04:43:36 +00:00
|
|
|
If you are a Scheme fan, you can help develop Guile. Please have a look
|
|
|
|
at the URL @url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu:/software/guile/guile.html}
|
|
|
|
and then contact @email{guile@@gnu.ai.mit.edu}.
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Help develop the GNU web browser, E-scape.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Help develop Windows NT emulation for GNU systems---for example, WINE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Implement the Kermit data transfer protocol. (See below.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-07-26 01:52:56 +00:00
|
|
|
Develop a free compatible replacement for Qt, a GUI toolkit library. Qt
|
|
|
|
is not free software, because users are prohibited from distributing
|
|
|
|
modified versions. Thus, Qt cannot be included in a free operating
|
|
|
|
system (adding it would make the system as a whole non-free).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
But some developers are writing free applications that use Qt and cannot
|
|
|
|
run without it. These programs, although free software, are useless for
|
|
|
|
free operating systems because there is no way to make them run.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is leading to a serious problem, and a free replacement for Qt is
|
|
|
|
the only solution. Hence the high degree of urgency of this project.
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Documentation
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@chapter Documentation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We very urgently need documentation for some parts of the system
|
|
|
|
that already exist or will exist very soon:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
A C reference manual. (RMS made a try at one, which you could start
|
|
|
|
with).
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A manual for Ghostscript.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A manual for TCSH.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A manual for PIC (the graphics formatting language).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A manual for Oleo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A book on how GCC works and why various machine descriptions
|
|
|
|
are written as they are.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A manual for programming X-window applications.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Manuals for various X window managers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1996-03-10 17:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
Reference cards for those manuals that don't have them: C
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
Compiler, Make, Texinfo, Termcap, and maybe the C Library.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1996-03-10 17:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
Many utilities need documentation, including @code{grep} and others.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Unix-Related Projects
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@chapter Unix-Related Projects
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An improved version of the POSIX utility @code{pax}. There is one on
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
Usenet, but it is said to be poorly written. Talk with
|
1997-05-21 05:16:30 +00:00
|
|
|
@code{thomas@@gnu.ai.mit.edu} about this project.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
@ignore
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Modify the GNU @code{dc} program to use the math routines of GNU
|
|
|
|
@code{bc}.
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
@end ignore
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A @code{grap} preprocessor program for @code{troff}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Various other libraries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An emulation of SCCS that works using RCS.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-08-26 16:43:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
Less urgent: @code{diction}, @code{explain}, and @code{style}, or
|
|
|
|
something to do the same kind of job. Compatibility with Unix is not
|
|
|
|
especially important for these programs.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Kernel Projects
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@chapter Kernel-Related Projects
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
An over-the-ethernet debugger stub that will allow the kernel to be
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
debugged from GDB running on another machine.
|
|
|
|
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
This stub needs its own self-contained implementation of all protocols
|
|
|
|
to be used, since the GNU system will use user processes to implement
|
|
|
|
all but the lowest levels, and the stub won't be able to use those
|
|
|
|
processes. If a simple self-contained implementation of IP and TCP is
|
|
|
|
impractical, it might be necessary to design a new, simple protocol
|
|
|
|
based directly on ethernet. It's not crucial to support high speed or
|
|
|
|
communicating across gateways.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It might be possible to use the Mach ethernet driver code, but it would
|
|
|
|
need some changes.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A shared memory X11 server to run under MACH is very desirable. The
|
|
|
|
machine specific parts should be kept well separated.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An implementation of CIFS, the ``Common Internet File System,'' for the
|
|
|
|
HURD. This protocol is an offshoot of SMB.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Extensions
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@chapter Extensions to Existing GNU Software
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
Enhance GCC. See files @file{PROJECTS} and @file{PROBLEMS} in the GCC
|
|
|
|
distribution.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-05-15 22:07:16 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
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 Tk and is tightly integrated into GDB.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-01-26 07:58:57 +00:00
|
|
|
Rewrite GNU @code{sed} completely, to make it cleaner.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-01-26 07:58:57 +00:00
|
|
|
Rewrite Automake and Deja-GNU in Scheme, so they can run in Guile.
|
|
|
|
Right now they are written in Perl and TCL, respectively. There are
|
|
|
|
also other programs, not terribly long, which we would also like
|
|
|
|
to have rewritten in Scheme.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Finish the partially-implemented C interpreter project.
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1995-04-06 20:10:15 +00:00
|
|
|
Help with the development of GNUStep, a GNU implementation of the
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
OpenStep specification.
|
|
|
|
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Add features to GNU Make to record the precise rule with which each file
|
|
|
|
was last recompiled; then recompile any file if its rule in the makefile
|
|
|
|
has changed.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Add a few features to GNU @code{diff}, such as handling large input
|
|
|
|
files without reading entire files into core.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An @code{nroff} macro package to simplify @code{texi2roff}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
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
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@code{tron@@veritas.com} about this.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
Smail also needs a new chief maintainer.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
@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.)
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node X Windows Projects
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@chapter X Windows Projects
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An emulator for Macintosh graphics calls on top of X Windows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
A music playing and editing system. This should work with LilyPond, a
|
|
|
|
free program for music typesetting.
|
1997-04-16 06:47:39 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to edit dance notation (such as labanotation) and display
|
|
|
|
dancers moving on the screen.
|
|
|
|
|
1994-11-08 15:54:54 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Port the Vibrant toolkit to work on X without using Motif.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to display and edit Hypercard stacks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A paint program, supporting both bitmap-oriented operations and
|
|
|
|
component-oriented operations. @code{xpaint} exists, but isn't very
|
|
|
|
usable.
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-08-27 00:14:26 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A vector-based drawing program in the spirit of Adobe Illustrator
|
|
|
|
and Corel Draw.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An interactive 3D modeling utility with rendering/raytracing capabilities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program for graphic morphing of scanned photographs.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Encryption Projects
|
|
|
|
@chapter Encryption Projects
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
These projects need to be written outside the US by people who are not
|
|
|
|
US citizens, to avoid problems with US export control law.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
A free library for public-key encryption.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
This library should use the Diffie-Helman algorithm for public key
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
encryption, not the RSA algorithm, because the Diffie-Helman patent in
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
the US will expire in 1997.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A free program for sended encrypted mail using public-key encryption.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This program should use the library described above for the public-key
|
|
|
|
encryption. It should use triple-DES, not IDEA, for block encryption,
|
|
|
|
because IDEA is patented in many countries and the patents will not
|
|
|
|
expire soon.
|
1997-06-23 23:16:01 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In other respects, it should be like PGP. If the new version of PGP
|
|
|
|
no longer uses RSA and IDEA, compatibility with it may be feasible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is a suggestion that the Blowfish algorithm might be a good choice
|
|
|
|
for the non-public-key block encryption. I'm not an encryption expert
|
|
|
|
so I don't have an opinion about that.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Many people believe that PGP is free software, but that is not actually
|
1997-04-16 06:47:39 +00:00
|
|
|
true. The distribution terms do not allow everyone to use and
|
|
|
|
redistribute it. We used to think that these restrictions had been
|
|
|
|
imposed by the patent holders for the RSA and IDEA algorithms, and that
|
|
|
|
PGP could be free software if these algorithms were replaced by
|
|
|
|
alternatives. But we have since learned that the owners of PGP are
|
|
|
|
themselves unwilling to make it free software. Writing a new program is
|
|
|
|
the only way to get free software for this job.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A free secure telnet program more or less like ssh/sshd. Since this
|
|
|
|
requires a public key encryption algorithm, it is closely related to the
|
|
|
|
preceding item.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This program should follow the draft standard for ssh. As always, it
|
|
|
|
cannot implement the RSA algorithm, but must instead support the
|
|
|
|
alternatives that will be patent-free in late 1997. It cannot support
|
1997-06-23 23:16:01 +00:00
|
|
|
IDEA, but can use triple-DES and/or Blowfish or other non-patented
|
|
|
|
alternatives.
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-04-25 04:48:20 +00:00
|
|
|
Free software for doing secure commercial transactions on the web.
|
|
|
|
This too needs public key encryption.
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Other Projects
|
|
|
|
@chapter Other Projects
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
If you think of others that should be added, please
|
|
|
|
send them to @code{gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1997-05-09 05:19:39 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
A free program that can transfer files on a serial line
|
|
|
|
using the same protocol that Kermit uses.
|
1997-05-09 05:19:39 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An imitation of Page Maker or Ventura Publisher.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An imitation of @code{dbase2} or @code{dbase3} (How dbased!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
A general ledger program, including support for accounts payable,
|
|
|
|
account receivables, payroll, inventory control, order processing, etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A teleconferencing program which does the job of CU-SeeMe (which is,
|
|
|
|
alas, not free software).
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to typeset C code for printing.
|
1996-03-10 17:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
For ideas on what to do, see the book,
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@display
|
|
|
|
Human Factors and Typography for More Readable Programs,
|
|
|
|
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.)
|
|
|
|
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-07-04 04:43:36 +00:00
|
|
|
A program to convert Microsoft Word documents to text/enriched, TeX,
|
|
|
|
LaTeX, Texinfo, or some other format that free software can edit.
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A free replacement for the semi-free Qt library.
|
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
High-quality music compression software.
|
|
|
|
(Talk with phr@@netcom.com for relevant suggestions.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to play sound distributed in ``Real Audio'' format.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to generate ``Real Audio'' format from audio input.
|
|
|
|
|
1997-07-26 01:52:56 +00:00
|
|
|
@ignore @c Software patents have made this domain off limits to free software.
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An MPEG III audio encoder/decoder (but it is necessary to check, first,
|
|
|
|
whether patents make this impossible).
|
1997-07-26 01:52:56 +00:00
|
|
|
@end ignore
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Speech-generation programs (there is a program from Brown U that you
|
|
|
|
could improve).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1996-08-26 16:43:05 +00:00
|
|
|
Speech-recognition programs (single-speaker, disconnected speech is sufficient).
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-01-26 07:58:57 +00:00
|
|
|
More scientific mathematical subroutines.
|
|
|
|
(A clone of SPSS is being written already.)
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Statistical tools.
|
|
|
|
|
1997-04-25 04:48:20 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A scientific data collection and processing tool,
|
|
|
|
perhaps something like Scientific Workbench and/or Khoros,
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Software to replace card catalogues in libraries.
|
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
@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.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Grammar and style checking programs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A translator from Scheme to C.
|
|
|
|
|
1997-04-25 04:48:20 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A fast emulator for the i386 which works by translating
|
|
|
|
machine instructions into the machine language of the host machine.
|
|
|
|
(Support for emulation of other machines would enhance the program
|
|
|
|
but might make it much more difficult.)
|
|
|
|
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A map display or geographic information system.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Optical character recognition programs; especially if suitable for
|
|
|
|
scanning documents with multiple fonts and capturing font info as well
|
1996-03-10 17:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
as character codes. Work is being done on this, but more help is needed.
|
1994-08-08 09:54:51 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to scan a line drawing and convert it to Postscript.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to recognize handwriting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A pen based interface.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
CAD software, such as a vague imitation of Autocad.
|
1997-07-19 03:29:32 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to receive data from a serial-line tap to facilitate the
|
|
|
|
reverse-engineering of communication protocols.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Compilers
|
|
|
|
@chapter Compilers for Other Batch Languages
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
Volunteers are needed to write parsers/front ends for languages such as
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
Algol 60, Algol 68, PL/I, Cobol, Fortran 90, Eiffel, or whatever, to be
|
|
|
|
used with the code generation phases of the GNU C compiler.
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
@c Fortran status is here so gnu@prep and the volunteer coordinators
|
|
|
|
@c don't have to answer the question -len
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
You can get the status of the Fortran front end with this command:
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
finger -l fortran@@gnu.ai.mit.edu
|
1994-11-24 01:44:59 +00:00
|
|
|
@end example
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:08:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Games and Recreations
|
|
|
|
@chapter Games and Recreations
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
Video-oriented games that work with the X window system.
|
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Empire (there is a free version but it needs upgrading)
|
|
|
|
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
An ``empire builder'' system that makes it easy to write various kinds of
|
|
|
|
simulation games.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-08-14 20:43:03 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Improve GnuGo, which is not yet very sophisticated.
|
|
|
|
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-07-26 01:52:56 +00:00
|
|
|
Write imitations of some popular video game:
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-11-11 04:23:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemize -
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Space war, Asteroids, Pong, Columns.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Defending cities from missiles.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1995-03-31 06:25:17 +00:00
|
|
|
Plane shoots at lots of other planes, tanks, etc.
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Wizard fights fanciful monster.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A golf game.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
Program a robot by sticking building blocks together,
|
|
|
|
then watch it explore a world.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
1997-06-08 03:58:22 +00:00
|
|
|
Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American and @cite{The Blind
|
|
|
|
Watchmaker}).
|
1993-11-23 07:00:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
A program to display effects of moving at relativistic speeds.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We do not need @code{rogue}, as we have @code{hack}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@contents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@bye
|