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[gnu-emacs] / etc / tasks.texi

diff --git a/etc/tasks.texi b/etc/tasks.texi
index 23922c19ba54bd96b924cac428962d3fddbe6b0d..fc68fbbfe04289ee900bb1fe310278b4f88f709b 100644 (file)
--- a/etc/tasks.texi
+++ b/etc/tasks.texi
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 @setfilename tasks.info
 @settitle GNU Task List
 @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
 @setfilename tasks.info
 @settitle GNU Task List
 @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:

-@set lastupdate August 11, 1999
+@set lastupdate October 11, 2000

 @c %**end of header
 
 @setchapternewpage off
 @c %**end of header
 
 @setchapternewpage off


@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@
 @top GNU Task List
 
 This file is updated automatically from @file{tasks.texi}, which was
 @top GNU Task List
 
 This file is updated automatically from @file{tasks.texi}, which was

-last updated on @value{lastupdate}.
+last updated on @value{lastupdate}.  See also
+@uref{http://www.gnu.org/help/help.html#helpgnu} for other suggested
+tasks.

 @end ifinfo
 
 @menu
 @end ifinfo
 
 @menu


@@ -75,6 +77,11 @@ 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.
 
 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
 
 @node Highest Priority, Documentation, Intro, Top
 @chapter Highest Priority
 


@@ -87,6 +94,11 @@ But if you would like to work on what we need most, here is a list of
 high priority projects.
 
 @itemize @bullet
 high priority projects.
 
 @itemize @bullet

+
+@item 
+A new maintainer is needed for Goose
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/goose/goose.html}.
+

 @item
 If you are good at writing documentation, please do that.
 
 @item
 If you are good at writing documentation, please do that.
 


@@ -106,7 +118,7 @@ Web.
 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/tasks/tasks.hurd}, via anonymous FTP.
 
 @item
 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/tasks/tasks.hurd}, via anonymous FTP.
 
 @item

-@email{gnu@@gnu.org} via e-mail.
+@email{gvc@@gnu.org} via e-mail.

 
 @end itemize
 
 
 @end itemize
 


@@ -115,18 +127,29 @@ 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@@gnu.org}.
 
 at the URL @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/guile/guile.html}
 and then contact the Guile developers at @email{guile@@gnu.org}.
 

+@item
+Improve the facilities for translating other languages into Scheme,
+so that Guile can provide support for a variety of languages.
+

 @item
 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 package to convert programs written using MS Access into Scheme,
 making use of a free data base system and the GTK toolkit.
 

+@ignore

 @item
 Help develop XmHTML.  See @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~ripley/XmHTML/}.
 @item
 Help develop XmHTML.  See @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~ripley/XmHTML/}.

+@end ignore

 
 @item
 Help develop software to emulate Windows NT on top of GNU systems.
 For example, you could help work on Willows Twin.
 See @uref{http://www.willows.com/}.
 
 
 @item
 Help develop software to emulate Windows NT on top of GNU systems.
 For example, you could help work on Willows Twin.
 See @uref{http://www.willows.com/}.
 

+@item
+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.) 
+

 @ignore  The Kermit developers say they will provide a free program
 to do this.
 @item
 @ignore  The Kermit developers say they will provide a free program
 to do this.
 @item


@@ -167,16 +190,16 @@ We do not recommend any non-free materials as documentation.
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @item
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @item

-A manual for libsdtc++.
+A manual for libstdc++.

 
 @item
 A unified manual for La@TeX{}.  (Existing documentation is non-free.)
 
 @item
 
 @item
 A unified manual for La@TeX{}.  (Existing documentation is non-free.)
 
 @item

-A tutorial introduction to Midnight Commander.
+A manual for Docbook SGML format. 

 
 @item
 
 @item

-A manual for GNU SQL.
+A tutorial introduction to Midnight Commander.

 
 @item
 A thorough manual for RCS.
 
 @item
 A thorough manual for RCS.


@@ -190,6 +213,9 @@ A reference manual for the GNU Hurd features in GNU libc.
 @item
 A manual for writing Hurd servers.
 
 @item
 A manual for writing Hurd servers.
 

+@item
+A manual for GNU sed.
+

 @item
 Reference manuals for C++, Objective C, Pascal, Fortran 77, and Java.
 
 @item
 Reference manuals for C++, Objective C, Pascal, Fortran 77, and Java.
 


@@ -219,10 +245,13 @@ 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.
 
 reference documentation can be used as a starting point, but work is
 needed to weld them together into a coherent manual.
 

+@ignore
+@c Bradley Kuhn is working on this. <bkuhn@ebb.org>

 @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.
 @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.

+@end ignore

 
 @item
 A manual for PIC (the graphics formatting language).
 
 @item
 A manual for PIC (the graphics formatting language).


@@ -242,7 +271,7 @@ Reference cards for those manuals that don't have them: C
 Compiler, Make, Texinfo, Termcap, and maybe the C Library.
 
 @item
 Compiler, Make, Texinfo, Termcap, and maybe the C Library.
 
 @item

-Many utilities need documentation, including @code{grep} and others.
+Many utilities still need documentation.

 @end itemize
 
 @node Unix-Related Projects, Kernel Projects, Documentation, Top
 @end itemize
 
 @node Unix-Related Projects, Kernel Projects, Documentation, Top


@@ -255,13 +284,17 @@ Modify the GNU @code{dc} program to use the math routines of GNU
 @code{bc}.
 @end ignore
 
 @code{bc}.
 @end ignore
 

-@item
-A @code{grap} preprocessor program for @code{troff}.
-

 @item
 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.
 @item
 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.

+
+@item
+Rewrite @code{indent} from scratch to make it cleaner.
+
+@item
+Write a free software replacement for the @code{agrep} program.
+

 @end itemize
 
 @node Kernel Projects, Extensions, Unix-Related Projects, Top
 @end itemize
 
 @node Kernel Projects, Extensions, Unix-Related Projects, Top


@@ -337,16 +370,11 @@ files without reading entire files into core.
 @item
 An @code{nroff} macro package to simplify @code{texi2roff}.
 
 @item
 An @code{nroff} macro package to simplify @code{texi2roff}.
 

-@item
-An implementation of XML (see @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/}).
-

 @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
 @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

-@email{tron@@veritas.com} about this.
-
-Smail also needs a new chief maintainer.
+@email{tron@@veritas.com} and @email{woods@@weird.com} about this.

 
 @item
 Enhanced cross-reference browsing tools.  (We now have something at
 
 @item
 Enhanced cross-reference browsing tools.  (We now have something at


@@ -362,29 +390,41 @@ about the level of @code{cxref}.)  We also could use something like
 An emulator for Macintosh graphics calls on top of X Windows.
 
 @item
 An emulator for Macintosh graphics calls on top of X Windows.
 
 @item

-A package that emulates the API of Visual C++, but operates 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.

 
 

+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.
+
+@ignore
+@c GNOME Basic is doing this

 @item
 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.
 @item
 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 music playing and editing system.  This should work with LilyPond, a
 GNU program for music typesetting.
 @item
 A music playing and editing system.  This should work with LilyPond, a
 GNU program for music typesetting.

+@end ignore

 
 

-@item
-An ear-training program for students of music.
-
+@ignore  @c GNUskies should do this

 @item
 An ephemeris program to replace xephem (which is, alas, too restricted
 to qualify as free software).
 @item
 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 program to edit dance notation (such as labanotation) and display
 
 @item
 A program to edit dance notation (such as labanotation) and display

-dancers moving on the screen.
+dancers moving on the screen.  Gepetto done some of this work.  Contact
+@email{gvc@@gnu.org} if you are interested in helping finish the job.

 
 @item
 Make sure the Vibrant toolkit works with LessTif instead of Motif.
 
 @item
 Make sure the Vibrant toolkit works with LessTif instead of Motif.


@@ -392,8 +432,15 @@ Make sure the Vibrant toolkit works with LessTif instead of Motif.
 @item
 A program to display and edit Hypercard stacks.
 
 @item
 A program to display and edit Hypercard stacks.
 

+@item
+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.
 @item
 A program for graphic morphing of scanned photographs.

+@end ignore

 
 @item
 Software for designing and printing business cards.
 
 @item
 Software for designing and printing business cards.


@@ -427,32 +474,25 @@ US citizens, to avoid problems with US export control law.
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @item
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @item

-A free library for public-key encryption.
-
-This library should use the Diffie-Helman algorithm for public key
-encryption, not the RSA algorithm, because the Diffie-Helman patent in
-the US expired in 1997.  This library can probably be developed from
-the code for the GNU Privacy Guard (now in development).
-
+A free library for public-key encryption.  This library can probably be
+developed from the code for the GNU Privacy Guard.
+  

 @item
 @item

-An implementation of SSLv3 (more precisely, TLSv1) which is patent-free
-(uses the non-RSA algorithms) and 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.
+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.

 
 @item
 Free software for doing secure commercial transactions on the web.
 This too needs public key encryption.
 @end itemize
 
 
 @item
 Free software for doing secure commercial transactions on the web.
 This too needs public key encryption.
 @end itemize
 

-The projects to provide free replacements for PGP and SSH are no longer
-listed here, because projects to do those jobs are well under way.
-

 @node Other Projects, Languages, Encryption Projects, Top
 @chapter Other Projects
 
 If you think of others that should be added, please
 @node Other Projects, Languages, Encryption Projects, Top
 @chapter Other Projects
 
 If you think of others that should be added, please

-send them to @email{gnu@@gnu.org}.
+send them to @email{tasks@@gnu.org}.

 
 @itemize @bullet
 @ignore OpenBIOS is doing this
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @ignore OpenBIOS is doing this


@@ -470,21 +510,19 @@ 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
 
 in the computer in a way that is specific to each model of computer.
 @end ignore
 

-@item
-A free program that can transfer files on a serial line
-using the same protocol that Kermit uses.
-

 @item
 An imitation of Page Maker or Ventura Publisher.
 
 @item
 An imitation of @code{dbase2} or @code{dbase3}.  (How dbased!)
 @item
 An imitation of Page Maker or Ventura Publisher.
 
 @item
 An imitation of @code{dbase2} or @code{dbase3}.  (How dbased!)

-@uref{http://www.startech.keller.tx.us/xbase/xbase.html} may contain
-some useful stuff to start with.
+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 general ledger program, including support for accounts payable, 
 account receivables, payroll, inventory control, order processing, etc.
 @item
 A general ledger program, including support for accounts payable, 
 account receivables, payroll, inventory control, order processing, etc.

+@end ignore

 
 @item
 A free replacement for Glimpse, which is not free software.
 
 @item
 A free replacement for Glimpse, which is not free software.


@@ -533,12 +571,16 @@ about siff (which is, unfortunately, not free software) at
 A free replacement for the semi-free Qt library.
 @end ignore
 
 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 <monty@xiph.org>}.
+

 @item
 High-quality music compression software.
 @item
 High-quality music compression software.

-(Talk with @email{phr@@netcom.com} for relevant suggestions.)
+(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.
 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
 A program to play sound distributed in ``Real Audio'' format.
 
 @item
 A program to play sound distributed in ``Real Audio'' format.


@@ -554,10 +596,12 @@ Programs to handle audio in RTSP format.
 An MPEG III audio encoder/decoder (but it is necessary to check, first,
 whether patents make this impossible).
 
 An MPEG III audio encoder/decoder (but it is necessary to check, first,
 whether patents make this impossible).
 

-@c Chris Hofstader is working on this.
+@c Chris Hofstader is working on a non-Festival speech-generation program.
+@c Mario Lang <lang@zid.tu-graz.ac.at> reports that Festival needs only
+@c to be 2-5 times faster to work well with Emacspeak.

 @item
 @item

-Speech-generation programs (there is a program from Brown U that you
-could improve).
+Speech-generation programs that are faster than the Festival engine.
+This might be done by optimizing Festival.

 
 @c We have a project now.
 @item
 
 @c We have a project now.
 @item


@@ -583,9 +627,6 @@ learn more.
 More scientific mathematical subroutines.
 (A clone of SPSS is being written already.)
 
 More scientific mathematical subroutines.
 (A clone of SPSS is being written already.)
 

-@item
-Statistical tools.
-

 @item
 A scientific data collection and processing tool,
 perhaps something like Scientific Workbench and/or Khoros,
 @item
 A scientific data collection and processing tool,
 perhaps something like Scientific Workbench and/or Khoros,


@@ -595,20 +636,33 @@ A program to calculate properties of molecules by solving
 the Schroedinger equation.
 
 @item
 the Schroedinger equation.
 
 @item

-Software to replace card catalogues in libraries.
+Software to replace card catalogs in libraries.

 
 @item
 A simulator for heating and air conditioning systems for buildings.
 
 
 @item
 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
+

 @item
 A package for editing genealogical records conveniently.
 This could perhaps be done as a Gnome program, or perhaps
 as an Emacs extension.
 
 @item
 A package for editing genealogical records conveniently.
 This could perhaps be done as a Gnome program, or perhaps
 as an Emacs extension.
 

+@ignore
+@c ToutDoux aims to do this.
+

 @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.
 @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
 Grammar and style checking programs.


@@ -616,25 +670,25 @@ Grammar and style checking programs.
 @item
 A diagnostic program to test a hard disk.
 
 @item
 A diagnostic program to test a hard disk.
 

-@item
-A fast emulator for the i386, which would make it possible
-to emulate x86 code on other CPUs, and also to more easily
-debug kernels such as Linux more conveniently.
-
-To make this faster, it could work by translating machine instructions
-into the machine language of the host machine.
-

 @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.
 
 @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 <luisjc@lem.eui.upm.es>, 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 Postscript.
 
 @item
 A program to recognize handwriting.
 
 @item
 A program to scan a line drawing and convert it to Postscript.
 
 @item
 A program to recognize handwriting.
 

+@item
+A program that can translate from one natural language, into another.
+For example, a program to translate French into English.
+

 @item
 A pen based interface.
 
 @item
 A pen based interface.
 


@@ -644,6 +698,16 @@ CAD software, such as a vague imitation of Autocad.
 @item
 A program to receive data from a serial-line tap to facilitate the
 reverse-engineering of communication protocols.
 @item
 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
+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 Languages, Games and Recreations, Other Projects, Top
 @end itemize
 
 @node Languages, Games and Recreations, Other Projects, Top


@@ -664,9 +728,7 @@ finger -l fortran@@gnu.org
 
 We would like to have translators from various languages into Scheme.
 These languages include TCL, Python, Perl, Java, Javascript, and Rexx.
 
 We would like to have translators from various languages into Scheme.
 These languages include TCL, Python, Perl, Java, Javascript, and Rexx.

-
-We would like to have an implementation of Clipper, perhaps a GCC front
-end, and perhaps a translator into Scheme.
+Perhaps Clipper as well.

 
 @node Games and Recreations,  , Languages, Top
 @chapter Games and Recreations
 
 @node Games and Recreations,  , Languages, Top
 @chapter Games and Recreations


@@ -692,6 +754,9 @@ software does not yet exist.
 A Hierarchical Task Network package which can be used
 to program play the computer's side in various strategic games.
 
 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
 Write imitations of some popular video games:
 
 @item
 Write imitations of some popular video games:
 


@@ -714,8 +779,6 @@ then watch it explore a world.
 @item
 Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American and @cite{The Blind
 Watchmaker}).
 @item
 Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American and @cite{The Blind
 Watchmaker}).

-@item
-A program to display effects of moving at relativistic speeds.

 @end itemize
 @end itemize
 
 @end itemize
 @end itemize
 


@@ -724,6 +787,17 @@ We do not need @code{rogue}, as we have @code{hack}.
 @contents
 
 @bye
 @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:
 update-date-leading-regexp: "@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:\n@set lastupdate "
 update-date-trailing-regexp: ""
 Local variables:
 update-date-leading-regexp: "@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:\n@set lastupdate "
 update-date-trailing-regexp: ""