Gelato SOC 2008 ideas

GData support

GData is a protocol from Google which is based on RSS and Atom and combines both of them. In fact, underlying GData is actually RSS and Atom protocols. GData allows us to : request (syndication), query (for searching), insert, update and delete.

All of these features make remote usage of a CMS a much more plausible reality.

The GData support for gelato will enable the gelato core to interact with the outside world using this protocol. The module keeps a simple table in the database about the permissions granted to applications and the URL path assigned to an application. The administrator can change these values whenever she/he wants.

Incoming requests are passed on to the corresponding modules by GData depending on the settings saved in the table above-mentioned. Also, since querying using GData makes use of the q=<your query> format, we need a separate file named gfeed.php which actually is a seperate bootstrap from the index.php.

More information: http://code.google.com/apis/gdata/

API desktop client

A desktop application that allows the user to administer the content of a gelato powered website in a full-blown, rich-type user environment.

Some of the key-features are:

Multiple Database Support

An implementation of the Data Access Object design pattern in order to have multiple databases support on gelato.

The advantage of using data access objects is the relatively simple and rigorous separation between two important parts of gelato which can and should know almost nothing of each other, and which can be expected to evolve frequently and independently. Changing business logic can rely on the same DAO interface, while changes to persistence logic do not affect gelato as long as the interface remains correctly implemented.

Gelato CMS Accessibility: Updating for WCAG 2.0 Guidelines

This project will modify the gelato base code, so it can create accessible content that complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). I will create a set of specifications that will determine what gelato needs to output so it is accessible and compliant with the WCAG 2.0. I will test the new version of gelato to ensure it follows the guidelines and creates conformant material.

Plugin and folksonomy engines

This project aims to provide the plugin engine and the folksonomy engine as a part of the gelato core, and in addition, provide any necessary resource for developers and users (including documentation and tools).

Email Interface for Publishing

This project aims to provide an email interface for gelato publishing. The email Interface provides a way for authors to write posts in a gelato tumblelog without requiring them to visit the actual admin interface. When a post is sent to the tumblelog the publisher will get a notification in his email and the application will publish it immediately to the tumblelog.

Gelato CMS Voice

This project aims to provide voice navigation and form filling through voice commands.

The goal is to provide a Multimodal interface for gelato so as to navigate it with one's own voice using a VoiceXML enabled browser, such as Opera. Multimodal interaction gives the user multiple ways of interfacing with a system beyond the traditional keyboard and mouse input/output.

Making gelato voice enabled will help disabled people, specially the blind and motor disabled, to interact with this great CMS. Not only that, but this also gives another input interface which can be used to interact in a faster and intuitive way with the application.