Differences between revisions 31 and 36 (spanning 5 versions)
⇤ ← Revision 31 as of 2009-10-25 11:00:56 →
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Editor: qed777
Comment: Update for Sage 4.2. Clean up.
← Revision 36 as of 2009-11-27 14:52:02 → ⇥
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Editor: qed777
Comment: Succinctness plea.
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This is a general outline of targeted areas, including specific tasks, for improving the usability of [[http://www.sagemath.org/ | Sage]]. The sources include the [[SageUsability | Sage Usability Improvements List]] and [[http://sage.math.washington.edu:8100/file/tip/sagenb/todo.txt | sagenb/todo.txt]], but the scope here is wider. Feel free to make changes. This is a general outline of targeted areas, including specific tasks, for improving the usability of [[http://www.sagemath.org/ | Sage]]. The sources include the [[SageUsability | Sage Usability Improvements List]] and [[http://sage.math.washington.edu:8100/file/tip/sagenb/todo.txt | sagenb/todo.txt]], but the scope here is wider. Feel free to make changes.  To keep items succinct, please make links to group discussions, etc.
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 * Automated notebook benchmarking and testing:
   * Functional tests: [[http://seleniumhq.org/ | Selenium]], [[http://www.getwindmill.com/ | Windmill]].
   * Load tests: [[http://funkload.nuxeo.org/ | FunkLoad]], [[http://www.pylot.org/ | Pylot]], [[http://watir.com/ | Watir]], [[http://pypi.python.org/pypi/zope.testbrowser | Zope.testbrowser]].		  * Notebook load tests - [[http://grinder.sourceforge.net/ | The Grinder]], [[http://funkload.nuxeo.org/ | FunkLoad]], [[http://www.pylot.org/ | Pylot]], [[http://watir.com/ | Watir]], [[http://pypi.python.org/pypi/zope.testbrowser | Zope.testbrowser]].
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   * `doc/en/sagenb` for new notebook.
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 * Completions link for mobiles.  * [[http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel/browse_thread/thread/e854336b08d436c6/fb8a62d01475e3eb?#fb8a62d01475e3eb | Completions link for mobiles]].
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 * [[http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel/browse_thread/thread/e9d0fc2c75ec6354/2634152df8f85f59?#2634152df8f85f59 | New documentation browser]]. Send worksheet docstrings to this browser.  * [[http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel/browse_thread/thread/e9d0fc2c75ec6354/2634152df8f85f59?#2634152df8f85f59 | New documentation browser]]. Open worksheet docstrings to this browser.
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 * Slideshow mode.  * Slideshow mode - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/6342 | #6342]].
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   * Live published or remote.
   * Control over widget layout.		    * Live published or remote - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/6855 | #6855]].
   * Control over widget layout - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/7379 | #7379]].
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   * More widgets: vertical sliders, spreadsheets, interactive plots, etc.

 * Graph editor - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/1321 | #1321]].		    * More widgets: [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/7427 | circular slider ("angle" wheel)]], [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/5305 | date picker ]], [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/7267 | compact color picker]], vertical sliders, spreadsheets, interactive plots, etc.
   * [[http://github.com/clemesha/jquery-interact | New architecture]].
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 * Preparse in the browser: implicit multiplication, less work for server.
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   * Python debugger a la [[https://developer.mozilla.org/En/Pylons | Pylons]].    * Python debugger a la [[https://developer.mozilla.org/En/Pylons | Pylons]] - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/7509 | #7509]].
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 * Code editor a la [[https://bespin.mozilla.com/ | BeSpin]].  * Code editor - [[https://bespin.mozilla.com/ | BeSpin]], [[http://marijn.haverbeke.nl/codemirror/ | CodeMirror]] ([[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/7501 | #7501]]).
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 * Manage Jmol applet count / memory use.  * Manage Jmol applet count / memory use - [[http://groups.google.com/group/sage-notebook/browse_thread/thread/0fd98c858e7d24c5/2ef2c296f1b13c3b?#2ef2c296f1b13c3b | sage-notebook]].
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   * Don't blocking the server: uploading worksheets, making docbrowsers, etc.    * Don't blocking the server: making docbrowsers, etc.
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   * Use fork, named pipes, and/or [[http://docs.python.org/library/mmap.html | memory-mapped]] files for worksheet processes.    * Use fork (cf. [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/6967 | #6967]]), named pipes, and/or [[http://docs.python.org/library/mmap.html | memory-mapped]] files for worksheet processes.
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   * TinyMCE worksheet corruption.
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   * Deprecate the [unused] `objects` directory.
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   * Filesystem or a database determines worksheet list, not an sobj.
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   * Defaults: typeset, implicit multiplication, rename "Untitled" worksheets.    * Defaults: typeset, implicit multiplication, 3D viewer, rename "Untitled" worksheets.
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   * Page through worksheet list, not all at once.    * Page through worksheet list, not all at once - [[http://tablesorter.com/ | tablesorter]].
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   * Real-time concurrent editing - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/7362 | #7362]].
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   * Live cells, e.g, interacts.    * Live cells, e.g, interacts - [[http://trac.sagemath.org/sage_trac/ticket/6855 | #6855]].
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   * Publishing should update "last changed" time, even for old worksheets.

Sage Tasks Outline

This is a general outline of targeted areas, including specific tasks, for improving the usability of Sage. The sources include the Sage Usability Improvements List and sagenb/todo.txt, but the scope here is wider. Feel free to make changes. To keep items succinct, please make links to group discussions, etc.

1. General

2. Build / Test

  • Tests:
    • Increase coverage to 100%.
    • Fix all sagenb doctests and run them from Sage library.
    • Meaningful statistics / benchmarks, e.g., %timeit for individual doctests.
  • Build logs:
    • Separate file for each spkg for parallel builds.
    • Group by install, upgrade, or spkg install event.
    • Remotely aggregate and display refreshed statistics.
  • Porting:
    • andLinux Sage.
    • Windows.
    • Windows build farm.
    • Sagelite for Windows.
    • Binary distributions that don't use SSE3, etc.

  • Notebook load tests - The Grinder, FunkLoad, Pylot, Watir, Zope.testbrowser.

3. Development

4. Documentation

5. Notebook: Admin

  • Don't list all users' worksheets.

  • Authentication - abstract interface:
    • LDAP.
    • UNIX accounts.
  • Dashboard:
    • Real-time and cumulative statistics, aggregate and per user.
    • Backups: complete or selective.
    • Manage user accounts, passwords, groups, privileges.
    • Send email to all registered users.
    • Install new / updated modules and spkgs.

  • Lots of options with sensible defaults:

    • Email address as username.
    • Secure tokens to reset passwords.
    • Moderated new account registration.

    • Custom analytics tags, geolocation (ClustrMaps).

6. Notebook: Introspection

  • Matrix B mentioned twice in B.solve_left?: B.solve_left(B, ...).

  • Better error detection, e.g., for Maxima command completion.

  • Completions link for mobiles.

  • Live introspection cells.
  • Introspection cross-links.
  • Improve introspection / completion interface: floating div, RHS div.

  • New documentation browser. Open worksheet docstrings to this browser.

7. Notebook: "Modes"

8. Notebook: Under the hood

  • Implement base_url.

  • Deprecation message at top of old notebook .py files.

  • Move is_valid_username, etc., out of twist.py. A validation module for all types of notebook form fields.

  • notebook():

    • Allow default systems besides 'sage'.
    • Allow a different sage command on a remote machine.

  • Manage Jmol applet count / memory use - sage-notebook.

  • Use Python's logging facility.

  • Component architecture.

  • Cythonize pexpect.
  • Processes:
    • Balance server pool loads.
    • Run the worksheet process as another user.
    • Reference implementation:
      • Make ctrl-c quit.
      • Don't put "data" link in all output cells.
    • Don't blocking the server: making docbrowsers, etc.
    • Remote worksheet processes.

    • Use fork (cf. #6967), named pipes, and/or memory-mapped files for worksheet processes.

  • Client-server and server-server interaction:

    • Load JS / CSS components on demand - Ajile.

    • Server-to-server backups, possibly with authentication.
  • Decouple secure transport from sage/dsage. Use OpenSSL.

  • Remote access Python API - Google Documents List Data API.

    • (Non-)authenticated modes.
    • Manipulate, share, up/download, publish worksheets at a given Sage(Forge) server.
  • Storage:

    • Fix worksheet.autosave().

    • Always retrieve worksheet content from disk on open.
    • Use a revision control tool (e.g., Mercurial) for undo, history, snapshots, etc.
    • File size limit - auto-delete and warn above threshold.

    • Access a user's data directory securely via the new storage API.

    • Handle permissions better for directories, history, output, conf files, etc.

  • Migrate to server / framework: Django, Pylons, Pyjamas, Tornado, etc.:

9. Notebook: User Interaction

  • Help:
    • Reorganize help page:
      • Search for commands.
      • Linking to similar and related commands.
    • Easy set up of shipped jsMath fonts.
    • Automatic tips for keyboard shortcuts, editing features, etc. Opt out.
    • Friendly bug buddy that emails reports, bundles session history, etc.
  • Customization:
    • Defaults: typeset, implicit multiplication, 3D viewer, rename "Untitled" worksheets.
    • Custom window close callback.
    • Function to update worksheet titlebar.
    • Easy backups, selective or complete.

    • Download zip files of multiple worksheets, even if accounts=True.

  • Keys
    • Restart worksheet shortcut.
    • Splash-screen with common keys.
    • Insert new cell after current cell shortcut.

    • Custom shortcuts, e.g., ctrl-bksp to delete previous word, not join cells - js-hotkeys.

  • Cells:
    • Auto-updating cells, e.g., interacts.
    • Prevent text movement by a pixel on cell frame focus.
    • Always show links for long output cells, regardless of length or interruption.
    • Easily identify idle, queued, and running cells.

    • Select, delete, (un)group, move multiple cells.

    • Leading space input bug - #6729.

  • 2D / 3D plots:
  • Worksheets:
    • Export screen with checkboxes for images, data, etc.
    • Use notebook as IDE for running sage instance.
    • Optional always visible menubar at top of worksheet.
    • Make "Browse your computer" upload fields editable.
    • Fix "undefined" bug on first save in Safari 4.0.3.
    • Don't list "Sage Users" when sharing.
    • Rate worksheet title shows false error.

    • Page through worksheet list, not all at once - tablesorter.

    • "Save as" option, e.g., for downloading, that prompts for a name.
    • Toolbar with buttons to interrupt running code, save, attach files, etc.

    • Real-time concurrent editing - #7362.

    • TinyMCE synchronization problem.

  • Published worksheets:
    • Delete them.
    • RSS feeds.

    • Live cells, e.g, interacts - #6855.

    • Only to selected users or groups.
  • Notebook:

    • Tags.

    • Suppress browser warning for Konqueror.
    • Manage logins:

      • View recent account activity. Add last login to user.py.

      • Invalidate other sessions' cookies.
      • Unique cookies for logins from different browsers / computers.

    • Full-text search: SQLalchemy, Whoosh (codenode-devel).

  • Fix MoinMoin.

  • External: