LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Marc van Dongen]

Hi there,

I would like to propose to start a
repository where people can download and upload
latex/ConTeXt/metapost programs for ``commonly
used'' pictures and constructs.

E.g. One could download/upload a metapost program
     to draw the Hilbert curve of order n but also
     to download/upload LaTeX or metapost to simulate
     parts of C-programs and so on.

It would be nice if we could structure this so
that people could perform searches on keywords
and categories.

Next year, I should be able to get a student to
implement a web-based interface for such repository.

Any ideas/comments? Perhaps suggestions about how
to best organise this?

Regards,

Marc van Dongen
-- 
     Marc van Dongen, CS Dept | phone:  +353 21 4903578
University College Cork, NUIC | Fax:    +353 21 4903113
  College Road, Cork, Ireland | Email: dongen@cs.ucc.ie

Re: LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Hans Hagen]

At 07:42 PM 12/27/00 +0000, Marc van Dongen wrote:
>Hi there,
>
>
>I would like to propose to start a
>repository where people can download and upload

gooed, since a few days ago i discussed this with my collegue ...

>latex/ConTeXt/metapost programs for ``commonly
>used'' pictures and constructs.
>
>E.g. One could download/upload a metapost program
>     to draw the Hilbert curve of order n but also
>     to download/upload LaTeX or metapost to simulate
>     parts of C-programs and so on.
>
>It would be nice if we could structure this so
>that people could perform searches on keywords
>and categories.

... so it sounds ok to me ...

>Next year, I should be able to get a student to
>implement a web-based interface for such repository.

but ... the most important todo is probably the keyword part, which needs
to be standardized pretty good

>Any ideas/comments? Perhaps suggestions about how
>to best organise this?

Hans

PS. When I've finished the metafun manual i will start on a few more
extensive drawing libraries [i've got some bits and pieces and ideas now].
I also have some ideas on a metapost counterpart of the context upto date
docs, kind of a metapost chronicle thing, but this will probably focus on
usage within context or stand alone mp code, and i still must get a brain
wave for a nice and weird style. So, next year there will probably be
contributions from our site. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
                      Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
 tel: +31 (0)38 477 53 69 | fax: +31 (0)38 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Marc van Dongen]

Hans Hagen (pragma@wxs.nl) wrote:

[snip]

: but ... the most important todo is probably the keyword part, which needs
: to be standardized pretty good

What I also would like to propose is that the thing is set-up
so that people can maintain their own contributions without
too much overhead. Hopefully, this will engourage people to
improve their solutions.

[snip]

[libraries, docs]

: wave for a nice and weird style. So, next year there will probably be
: contributions from our site. 

I'll be looking forward to it.

Regards,

Marc

Re: LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Hans Hagen]

At 03:32 PM 12/28/00 +0000, Marc van Dongen wrote:
>Hans Hagen (pragma@wxs.nl) wrote:
>
>[snip]
> 
>: but ... the most important todo is probably the keyword part, which needs
>: to be standardized pretty good
>
>What I also would like to propose is that the thing is set-up
>so that people can maintain their own contributions without
>too much overhead. Hopefully, this will engourage people to
>improve their solutions.

files should be zipped archives containing a mp file and a readme file and
a index keyword file

there should be a strict system fo filenames, something 

xxxxx-yy

with xxxxx being a unique number and yy being a version 

that way one can have an upload dir and script that removes old versions 

such a small archive should be self contained. 

Hans 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
                      Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
 tel: +31 (0)38 477 53 69 | fax: +31 (0)38 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Marc van Dongen]

Hans Hagen (pragma@wxs.nl) wrote:

: files should be zipped archives containing a mp file and a readme file and
: a index keyword file

See my comment further on.

: there should be a strict system fo filenames, something 
: xxxxx-yy
: with xxxxx being a unique number and yy being a version 

That could be one way of doing it. But the names will
be very non-secriptive---five characters only.

: that way one can have an upload dir and script that removes old versions 
: such a small archive should be self contained. 

I was thinking of distributed storage. People who want
to can store their stuff at their own site or at a friendly
site nearby. Updates will be much easier this way. Also the
problem of bandwidth will be less---should that become a
problem. The information about what can be found where
should be centralised. I think this will make it a lot
easier to maintain the repository by a ``responsible''
person.

Regards,

Marc

Re: LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Hans Hagen]

At 02:51 PM 12/29/00 +0000, Marc van Dongen wrote:

>I was thinking of distributed storage. People who want
>to can store their stuff at their own site or at a friendly
>site nearby. Updates will be much easier this way. Also the
>problem of bandwidth will be less---should that become a
>problem. The information about what can be found where
>should be centralised. I think this will make it a lot
>easier to maintain the repository by a ``responsible''
>person.

The disadvantage of that is that url's are instable, but it can be a valid
starting point 

Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
                      Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
 tel: +31 (0)38 477 53 69 | fax: +31 (0)38 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: LaTeX/ConTeXt/metapost repository

[Marc van Dongen]

Hans Hagen (pragma@wxs.nl) wrote:

: >I was thinking of distributed storage. People who want
: >to can store their stuff at their own site or at a friendly
: >site nearby. Updates will be much easier this way. Also the
: >problem of bandwidth will be less---should that become a
: >problem. The information about what can be found where
: >should be centralised. I think this will make it a lot
: >easier to maintain the repository by a ``responsible''
: >person.
: 
: The disadvantage of that is that url's are instable, but it can be a valid
: starting point 

Which is why we should devise a mechanism which
overcomes the problems related with that fact.
E.g. if a contributer decides he wants to move his
stuff to a different site, all he should have to do
is provide the URL of the new site.

Perhaps we should also store everything centralised
but make users aware of the fact that more up to
date material can be found at different sites. This
mechanism will also guarantee that submissions are
still around if contributors/urls ``get lots.''

Regards,

Marc