OpenWetWare:Software/Milestones/April 2008

Development Items

 * Jason R. Kelly: Just adding a couple other open threads that should be considered when prioritizing this list.

Ordered Priority List

 * 1) Reformat the RSS feed CSS and format
 * 2) Migrate to new RHEL5 server. (Due now on Thursday April 17th)
 * 3) Migrate to MediaWiki 1.12. (No sooner than Thursday April 17th)
 * 4) Visitor blurb: add it
 * 5) Who's online: fix it
 * 6) Google Search: use it rather than OWW/MediaWiki on all searches. See notes below.
 * 7) New OWW Logo: Done.
 * 8) Email Issues: Investigate current problems (per Reshma's message)

RSS Feed CSS

 * Allow for the current RSS feed reader to be CSS-styled
 * Allow for the RSS format to be specified: current feed is a mess
 * Work with Ricardo to get the CSS more consistent with other content

Visitor blurb

 * Sounds like next step might be to contact austin and see if the cookie issue can get sorted.
 * I think this could have a big impact on new user sign-ups.

Who's online

 * This is providing inaccurate info, should probably either fix it or deprecate it on some time scale.
 * wjf 13:05, 14 April 2008 (EDT) Will address immediately. Should be a short fix.

Lab Notebook

 * Create a model group lab notebook for IGEM users
 * Work with Ricardo to do the design
 * Evaluate using a simplified entry form for daily log entries
 * Does not require adding the template calls to the beginning and end of daily lab notebook sections.
 * Also provides a drop-down list of all current projects
 * Add auto-create of a Project page
 * No need to enter or edit mediawiki text on project creation
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT)Working with Ricardo on rolling the 'slimmed-down' version of MediaWiki to end-users

User Poll

 * Add a small user poll to the OWW front page just below the current search box
 * When a person responds, the current poll stats will be shown as a histogram.
 * Poll will not be limited to OWW members.
 * Will revise as needed if abuse is detected.
 * Will use existing Ajax-based PHP/JavaScript/MySQL script
 * Reports for all polls will be maintained in an OWW MediaWiki special page
 * All new poll questions will be added via the special page
 * Results will be stored in the OWW database
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT)Deferred: As-time-permits for April

Search

 * Complete poll to determinne whether we should eliminate the Ajax Google-suggest-inspired search
 * The idea of prompted search is sound but the implementation has been criticized by several users
 * Jason R. Kelly 17:18, 22 March 2008 (CDT):Should we consider moving to google search? We could have "Go" and "Search", but search would point to a site:openwetware.org google search.  I did some informal testing and google seems much better, what's the tech dev position on this?
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Google only searches linked pages. All unlinked pages are not covered by Google.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Searches of a subset of the wiki will require custom Google searches
 * wjf 13:05, 14 April 2008 (EDT) Fixed the Google Search on the OWW search results page. You can now search OWW via Google
 * wjf 13:05, 14 April 2008 (EDT) Issue re: Google Search: ads are returned within OWW when this search is done.
 * Should I eliminate ads? This may not be too hard but it will require some time (TBD)
 * If not, should we register with google so that we get paid for clicks on those ads?

Invite User

 * Complete work on the "invite" extension
 * Use the HTML form Ilya and Reed worked on
 * The inviting member will be alerted when a user that member invites joins OWW
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred to April: As-time-permits

Contact Us

 * Fix the 'navigation' sidebar icon.
 * Part of the problem may be related to caching pages.
 * Also may be related to how labels are stored in the MySQL database and the MediaWiki: namespace.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Fixed. Problem was related to the siet-wide sidbar and the user-specific sidebar.

File Upload

 * Deploy a test version of the abbreviated file upload process
 * Provide a way to use it within the editor
 * Try out the Java-based drag-and-drop upload.
 * | Radlinks has a closed source but still pretty useful component that fits the bill.
 * The initial 'trial' version is limited to small files.
 * Price for the full version is $69.00
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred to April: Fix as-time-permits

Fix Google Search

 * Was incapacitated when the "search from current page" feature was added.
 * The code is in the Special:Search page. This is a matter of moving part of the OWW modified version of the page into the OWW subclassed OWWSpecialSearch php page.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred to April: Fix as-time-permits

User Interface

 * Install the FCKEditor
 * Requires MW1.11
 * Notify Steering Committee
 * Solicit input.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Awaiting Rackspace and server upgrade before movving to the required MW 1.12 release

Community Features

 * Add configurable header text to the Feedback tag.
 * The text will appear in the MediaWiki: namespace
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Fixed. MEdiaWiki:contact is the page where it can be modified from.

Filename conflict resolution

 * Investigate providing a way for users to see filenames minus any disambiguation tagging.
 * Other users will see the full name.
 * Evaluate in light of the MW1.11 Image programming model change.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred. Work on as-time-permits in April

Deprecate support for Flash Video

 * Decided to just use youtube or google video, rather than host anything ourselves.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Removed

Upgrade OWW Linux Server at Rackspace

 * Complete upgrade agreement/service order
 * Work with MIT legal to do this
 * Send a message to her immediately
 * Get back agreement
 * Return to Rackspace
 * Move OWW Server to RHEL5
 * Currently on RHEL4
 * 2 weeks to complete the work
 * Move /data directory
 * Reconfigure MySQL
 * Standard on RHEL5
 * Currently on MySQL 4.1
 * Reconfigure PHP5
 * Will use the native RHEL5 PHP5 package
 * Install sudo and other packages needed
 * Load all Databases
 * Test Mediawiki
 * Test all extensions
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred. Still awaiting Rackspace/MIT contract amendment signoff
 * Current status: RackSpace has sent a revised agreement with acceptable hardwaere specs and language that is consistent with MIT procurement. I have printed out the agreement with a set of instructions (Short!) for procurement and will hand-deliver with Isadora tomorrow morning (April 10, 2008)
 * wjf 13:05, 14 April 2008 (EDT) Rackspace will have new server online April 17th
 * Will update as soon as anything happens.

Complete upgrade to Mediawiki 1.11.2 (or most recent release)

 * Load all Databases
 * Test Mediawiki
 * Test all extensions
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred. Still awaiting Rackspace/MIT contract amendment signoff

Modify backup procedures

 * Add all MySQL backups to the /data rsync process back to MIT
 * Move local MIT copy of /data to MIT Bionet server (nightly backup)
 * Move rsync job from model.mit.edu (RHEL4) to shmoo.mit.edu (RHEL5)
 * Investigate MySQL replication between MIT and Rackspace
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Deferred. Still awaiting Rackspace/MIT contract amendment signoff

Speak to Sasha at Harvard Church Lab re: MySQL database replication

 * Explore how this may be accomplished
 * Church Lab has excellent web server Internet access and backup facilities
 * Will contact this week (April 9th, 2008 week)
 * wjf 13:05, 14 April 2008 (EDT) still pending

SSL Certificate for OWW

 * Price out certificate
 * Verisign: 1 Year: $399 for 1 year
 * Rackspace/Thawte: $249 for 2 years


 * wjf 13:10, 16 March 2008 (CDT) Based upon the Rackspace ***Price, I ordered a 2 year SSL certificate.
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Original Rackspace certificate was cancelled re: concerns from Austin.
 * Alternate vendor (GoDaddy.com) offers certs for less than $20.
 * Will address after server upgrade (IP address will change but this won't affect a certificate. But will hold off: 1 less thing to go wrong during upgrade to RHEL 5)


 * Details of the certificate will be present in the certificate itself:
 * url will be https://www.openwetware.org
 * org is OpenWetWare.org
 * Org unit is 'Operations'
 * Rackspace will invoice/install this week.
 * No issue moving the certificate to another server that I'm aware or
 * Certificate does not contain the IP address, just the DNS name
 * This will allow user logins to OWW to be protected.
 * We don't anticipate deploying SSL for all OWW transactions.
 * The basis for this is non-repudiation and authentication but not general encryption.

Email Issues

 * Current Mailman mailing lists
 * List all of them
 * Document where they are described in OWW help
 * Make sure help is accurate
 * Evaluate other mailing list solutions
 * Not planning any immediate changes
 * UMS
 * Document the current email settings
 * Verify all are accurate
 * Admin Mailing List
 * Look to other means of allowing admins to be connected to apps.
 * example: new RSS feed to track pending users
 * Report findings

Image Upload naming

 * Determine how to reduce problems resulting from MW's "global" image naming features.
 * Recently was responsible for taking out parts of the Endy lab pages.
 * We should address at the same time better image upload is added.
 * May be a higher priority than adding image upload improvements.

Search

 * Evaluate Wikipedia's Lucene Search for OWW
 * Provides for Relevance-ranked searching
 * Evaluate Google Custom Search
 * We can create multiple custom searches, each for a major site area such as
 * Materials
 * Protocols
 * Courses
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Still in progress

Subscribe to Page Range

 * Evaluate a way to subscribe to changes for a range of pages rather than from a specific page.
 * Uses the "Recent Changes" page and a filter
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Still in progress

OWW Chat

 * Work with Austin to integrate the new Jabber chat features with OWW
 * Figure out what to do about the current Wiki:Chat PHP/HTML/Javascript search
 * Is there an way to implement/reserve a way to schedule voice chats?
 * Skype works but is proprietary
 * Most OWW members have access to it.
 * Other VOIP methods?
 * wjf 16:34, 9 April 2008 (EDT) Still in progress