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1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @c %**start of header
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3 @setfilename tasks.info
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4 @settitle GNU Task List
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5 @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
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6 @set lastupdate January 15, 2001
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7 @c %**end of header
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8
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9 @setchapternewpage off
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10
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11 @titlepage
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12 @title GNU Task List
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13 @author Free Software Foundation
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14 @author last updated @value{lastupdate}
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15 @end titlepage
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16
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17 @ifinfo
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18 @node Top, Intro, (dir), (dir)
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19 @top GNU Task List
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20
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21 This file is updated automatically from @file{tasks.texi}, which was
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22 last updated on @value{lastupdate}. See also
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23 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/help/help.html#helpgnu} for other suggested
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24 tasks.
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25 @end ifinfo
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26
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27 @menu
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28 * Intro::
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29 * Highest Priority::
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30 * Documentation::
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31 * Unix-Related Projects::
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32 * Kernel Projects::
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33 * Extensions::
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34 * X Windows Projects::
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35 * Network Projects::
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36 * Encryption Projects::
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37 * Other Projects::
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38 * Languages::
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39 * Education::
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40 * Games and Recreations::
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41 @end menu
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42
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43 @node Intro, Highest Priority, Top, Top
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44 @chapter About the GNU Task List
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45
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46 If you did not obtain this file directly from the GNU project and
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John Gilmore <gnu@toad.com>
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47 recently, please check for a newer version. You can ftp the task list
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48 from any GNU FTP host in directory @file{/pub/gnu/tasks/}. The task
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49 list is available there in several different formats: @file{tasks.text},
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50 @file{tasks.texi}, @file{tasks.info}, and @file{tasks.dvi}. The GNU
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51 HURD task list is also there in file @file{tasks.hurd}.
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52 @c to fix an overfill, join the paragraphs -len
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53 The task list is also available on the GNU World Wide Web server:
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54 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/prep/tasks_toc.html}.
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55
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56 If you start working steadily on a project, please let @email{gvc@@gnu.org}
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57 know. We might have information that could help you; we'd also like to
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58 send you the GNU coding standards.
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59
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60 Because of the natural tendency for most volunteers to write programming
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61 tools or programming languages, we have a comparative shortage of
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62 applications useful for non-programmer users. Therefore, we ask you to
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63 consider writing such a program.
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64
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65 Typically, a new program that does a completely new job advances
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66 the GNU project, and the free software community, more than an
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67 improvement to an existing program.
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68
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69 Typically, new features or new programs advance the free software
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70 community more, in the long run, than porting existing programs. One
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71 reason is that portable new features and programs benefit people on many
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72 platforms, not just one. At the same time, there tend to be many
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73 volunteers for porting---so your help will be more valuable in other
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74 areas, where volunteers are more scarce.
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75
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76 Typically, it is more useful to extend a program in functionality than
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77 to improve performance. Users who use the new functionality will
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78 appreciate it very much, if they use it; but even when they benefit from
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79 a performance improvement, they may not consider it very important.
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80
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81 Finally, if you think of an important job that free software cannot
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82 solve yet that is typically solved by proprietary software, please send
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83 a short description of that job to @email{tasks@@gnu.org} so that we can
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84 add it to this task list.
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85
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86 @node Highest Priority, Documentation, Intro, Top
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87 @chapter Highest Priority
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88
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89 This task list mentions a large number of tasks that would be more or
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90 less useful. With luck, at least one of them will inspire you to start
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91 writing. It's better for you to work on any task that inspires you than
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92 not write free software at all.
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93
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94 But if you would like to work on what we need most, here is a list of
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95 high priority projects.
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96
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97 @itemize @bullet
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98
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99 @item
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100 A new maintainer is needed for Goose
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101 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/goose/goose.html}.
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102
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103 @item
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104 If you are good at writing documentation, please do that.
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105
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106 @item
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107 If you are very good at C programming and interested in kernels, you can
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108 help develop the GNU HURD, the kernel for the GNU system. Please have a
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109 look at @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/hurd.html}, and
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110 then get a copy of the latest HURD task list from:
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111
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112 @itemize @bullet
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113
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114 @item
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115 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/prep/tasks.hurd.html}, via the World Wide
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116 Web.
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117
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118 @item
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119 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/tasks/tasks.hurd}, via anonymous FTP.
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120
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121 @item
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122 @email{gvc@@gnu.org} via e-mail.
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123
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124 @end itemize
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125
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126 @item
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127 If you are a Scheme fan, you can help develop Guile. Please have a look
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128 at the URL @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/guile/guile.html}
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129 and then contact the Guile developers at @email{guile@@gnu.org}.
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130
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131 @item
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132 Improve the facilities for translating other languages into Scheme,
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133 so that Guile can provide support for a variety of languages.
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134
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135 @item
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136 A package to convert programs written using MS Access into Scheme,
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137 making use of a free data base system and the GTK toolkit.
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138
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139 @ignore
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140 @item
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141 Help develop XmHTML. See @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~ripley/XmHTML/}.
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142 @end ignore
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143
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144 @item
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145 Help develop software to emulate Windows NT on top of GNU systems.
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146 For example, you could help work on Willows Twin.
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147 See @uref{http://www.willows.com/}.
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148
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149 @item
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150 Add gettext support to GNU programs that don't have it already. (Please
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151 contact the developers of the specific packages that you want to work
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152 on.)
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153
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154 @ignore The Kermit developers say they will provide a free program
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155 to do this.
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156 @item
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157 Implement the Kermit data transfer protocol. (See below.)
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158 @end ignore
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159
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160 @ignore This is being done (Harmony)
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161 @item
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162 Develop a free compatible replacement for Qt, a GUI toolkit library. Qt
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163 is not free software, because users are prohibited from distributing
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164 modified versions. Thus, Qt cannot be included in a free operating
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165 system (adding it would make the system as a whole non-free).
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166
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167 But some developers are writing free applications that use Qt and cannot
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168 run without it. These programs, although free software, are useless for
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169 free operating systems because there is no way to make them run.
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170
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171 This is leading to a serious problem, and a free replacement for Qt is
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172 the only solution. Hence the high degree of urgency of this project.
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173 @end ignore
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174
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175 @item
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176 Develop a substitute, which runs on GNU systems, for some very popular
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177 or very important application that many non-programmers use on Windows,
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178 and which has no comparable free equivalent now.
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179 @end itemize
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180
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181 @node Documentation, Unix-Related Projects, Highest Priority, Top
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182 @chapter Documentation
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183
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184 We very urgently need documentation for many existing parts of the
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185 system.
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186
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187 Note that there are proprietary manuals for many of these topics, but
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188 proprietary manuals do not count, for the same reason proprietary
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189 software does not count: we are not free to copy and modify them.
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190 We do not recommend any non-free materials as documentation.
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191
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192 @itemize @bullet
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193
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194 @item
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195 A reference document for SQL for use as a standard for implementors of
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196 free software versions of SQL.
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197
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198 @item
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199 A manual for libstdc++.
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200
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201 @item
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202 A unified manual for La@TeX{}. (Existing documentation is non-free.)
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203
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204 @item
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205 A manual for Docbook SGML format.
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206
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207 @item
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208 A tutorial introduction to Midnight Commander.
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209
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210 @item
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211 A thorough manual for RCS.
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212
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213 @item
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214 A reference manual for Mach.
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215
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216 @item
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217 A reference manual for the GNU Hurd features in GNU libc.
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218
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219 @item
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220 A manual for writing Hurd servers.
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221
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222 @item
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223 A manual for GNU sed.
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224
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225 @item
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226 Reference manuals for C++, Objective C, Pascal, Fortran 77, and Java.
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227
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228 @item
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229 A tutorial manual for the C++ STL (standard template library).
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230
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231 @item
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232 A tutorial manual for Gforth.
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233
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234 @item
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235 GNU Objective-C Runtime Library Manual; this would be a reference manual
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236 for the runtime library functions, structures, and classes. Some work
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237 has been done on this job.
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238
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239 @item
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240 Manuals for GNUstep: developer tutorial, developer programming manual,
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241 developer reference manual, and user manual.
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242
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243 @item
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244 A manual for Ghostscript.
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245
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246 @item
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247 A manual for TCSH.
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248
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249 @item
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250 A coherent free reference manual for Perl. Most of the Perl on-line
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251 reference documentation can be used as a starting point, but work is
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252 needed to weld them together into a coherent manual.
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253
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254 @ignore
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255 @c Bradley M. Kuhn is working on this. <bkuhn@ebb.org>
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256 @item
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257 A good free Perl language tutorial introduction. The existing Perl
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258 introductions are published with restrictions on copying and
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259 modification, so that they cannot be part of a GNU system.
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260 @end ignore
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261
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262 @item
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263 A manual for PIC (the graphics formatting language).
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264
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265 @item
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266 A book on how GCC works and why various machine descriptions
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267 are written as they are.
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268
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269 @item
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270 A manual for programming applications for X11.
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271
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272 @item
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273 Manuals for various X window managers.
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274
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275 @item
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276 Reference cards for those manuals that don't have them: C
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277 Compiler, Make, Texinfo, Termcap, and maybe the C Library.
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278
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279 @item
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280 Many utilities still need documentation.
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281 @end itemize
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282
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283 @node Unix-Related Projects, Kernel Projects, Documentation, Top
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284 @chapter Unix-Related Projects
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285
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286 @itemize @bullet
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287 @ignore
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288 @item
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289 Modify the GNU @code{dc} program to use the math routines of GNU
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290 @code{bc}.
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291 @end ignore
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292
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293 @item
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294 Less urgent: make a replacement for the ``writer's workbench'' program
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295 @code{style}, or something to do the same kind of job. Compatibility
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296 with Unix is not especially important for this program.
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297
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298 @item
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299 Rewrite @code{indent} from scratch to make it cleaner.
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300
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301 @item
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302 Write a free software replacement for the @code{agrep} program.
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303
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304 @end itemize
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305
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306 @node Kernel Projects, Extensions, Unix-Related Projects, Top
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307 @chapter Kernel-Related Projects
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308
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309 @itemize @bullet
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310 @item
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311 An over-the-ethernet debugger stub that will allow the kernel to be
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312 debugged from GDB running on another machine.
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313
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314 This stub needs its own self-contained implementation of all protocols
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315 to be used, since the GNU system will use user processes to implement
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316 all but the lowest levels, and the stub won't be able to use those
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317 processes. If a simple self-contained implementation of IP and TCP is
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318 impractical, it might be necessary to design a new, simple protocol
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319 based directly on ethernet. It's not crucial to support high speed or
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320 communicating across gateways.
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321
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322 It might be possible to use the Mach ethernet driver code, but it would
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323 need some changes.
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324
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325 @item
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326 A shared memory X11 server to run under MACH is very desirable. The
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327 machine specific parts should be kept well separated.
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328
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329 @item
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330 An implementation of CIFS, the ``Common Internet File System,'' for the
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331 HURD. This protocol is an offshoot of SMB.
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332
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333 @item
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334 Support (in Linux?) for dumping the non-textual contents of an SVGA
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335 console.
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336 @end itemize
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337
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338 @node Extensions, X Windows Projects, Kernel Projects, Top
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339 @chapter Extensions to Existing GNU Software
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340
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341 @itemize @bullet
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342 @item
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343 Enhance GCC. See files @file{PROJECTS} and @file{PROBLEMS} in the GCC
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344 distribution.
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345
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346 @item
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347 Interface GDB to Guile, so that users can write debugging commands in
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348 Scheme. This would also make it possible to write, in Scheme, a
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349 graphical interface that uses GTK and is tightly integrated into GDB.
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350
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351 @item
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352 Extend Octave to support programs that were written
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353 to run on Khoros.
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354
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355 @item
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356 Rewrite Automake in Scheme, so it can run in Guile. Right now it is
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357 written in Perl. There are also other programs, not terribly long,
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358 which we would also like to have rewritten in Scheme.
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359
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360 @item
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361 Finish the partially-implemented C interpreter project.
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362
|
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363 @item
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364 Help with the development of GNUstep, a GNU implementation of the
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365 OpenStep specification.
|
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366
|
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367 @item
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368 Add features to GNU Make to record the precise rule with which each file
|
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369 was last recompiled; then recompile any file if its rule in the makefile
|
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370 has changed.
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371
|
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372 @item
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373 Add a few features to GNU @code{diff}, such as handling large input
|
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374 files without reading entire files into core.
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375
|
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376 @item
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377 An @code{nroff} macro package to simplify @code{texi2roff}.
|
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378
|
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379 @item
|
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380 A queueing system for the mailer Smail that groups pending work by
|
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381 destination rather than by original message. This makes it possible
|
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382 to schedule retries coherently for each destination. Talk to
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383 @email{tron@@veritas.com} and @email{woods@@weird.com} about this.
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384
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385 @end itemize
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386
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387 @node X Windows Projects, Network Projects, Extensions, Top
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388 @chapter X Windows Projects
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389
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390 @itemize @bullet
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391 @item
|
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392 An emulator for Macintosh graphics calls on top of X Windows.
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393
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394 @item
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395
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396 A package that emulates the API of Visual C++'s Foundation Classes
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397 (MFC), but operates on top of X11. It need not match the screen
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398 appearance provided by MFC. Instead, it would be best to use GTK, so as
|
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399 to give coherence with GNOME.
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400
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401 @ignore
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402 @c GNOME Basic is doing this
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403 @item
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404 A compatible replacement for Visual Basic, running on top of X11.
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405 It need not match the screen appearance of Visual C++. Instead,
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406 it would be best to use GTK, so as to give coherence with GNOME.
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407 @end ignore
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408
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409 @ignore
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410 @c Denemo is doing this.
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411 @item
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412 A music playing and editing system. This should work with LilyPond, a
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413 GNU program for music typesetting.
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414 @end ignore
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415
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416 @ignore @c GNUskies should do this
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417 @item
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418 An ephemeris program to replace xephem (which is, alas, too restricted
|
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419 to qualify as free software).
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420 @end ignore
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421
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422 @c Gepetto (@url{http://laurent.riesterer.free.fr/gepetto/intro-main.html},
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423 @c @email{laurent.riesterer@@free.fr}), according to @email{gnueval@@gnu.org},
|
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424 @c does the job of displaing dancers but does not allow editing notation.
|
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425
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426
|
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427 @item
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428 Make sure the Vibrant toolkit works with LessTif instead of Motif.
|
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429
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430 @item
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431 A program to display and edit Hypercard stacks.
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432
|
|
433 @item
|
26126
|
434 A two-dimensional outliner program, which lets you draw
|
|
435 graph structures of textual items, and then display them
|
|
436 in various ways.
|
|
437
|
32527
|
438 @ignore @c done
|
26126
|
439 @item
|
15866
|
440 A program for graphic morphing of scanned photographs.
|
32527
|
441 @end ignore
|
23610
|
442
|
|
443 @item
|
|
444 Software for designing and printing business cards.
|
5119
|
445 @end itemize
|
|
446
|
24112
|
447 @node Network Projects, Encryption Projects, X Windows Projects, Top
|
24111
|
448 @chapter Network Projects
|
|
449
|
|
450 @itemize @bullet
|
24603
5ee655f7a49b
Put in ignore for Cu-SeeMe task. www.openh323.org is doing this. elgin - apr 9, 1999.
Jim Elgin <elgin@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
451 @ignore
|
5ee655f7a49b
Put in ignore for Cu-SeeMe task. www.openh323.org is doing this. elgin - apr 9, 1999.
Jim Elgin <elgin@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
452 @c www.openh323.org is doing this. Craig Southeren <craigs@equival.com.au>
|
24111
|
453 @item
|
|
454 A teleconferencing program which does the job of CU-SeeMe (which is,
|
|
455 alas, not free software).
|
24603
5ee655f7a49b
Put in ignore for Cu-SeeMe task. www.openh323.org is doing this. elgin - apr 9, 1999.
Jim Elgin <elgin@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
456 @end ignore
|
24111
|
457
|
24880
|
458 @ignore
|
|
459 @c Bishop Bettini <bishop@synxcti.com> is working on this.
|
24111
|
460 @item
|
|
461 A free ICQ-compatible server program. (The ICQ server itself is not
|
|
462 free software.)
|
24880
|
463 @end ignore
|
|
464
|
24111
|
465 @end itemize
|
|
466
|
24112
|
467 @node Encryption Projects, Other Projects, Network Projects, Top
|
18864
|
468 @chapter Encryption Projects
|
5119
|
469
|
18864
|
470 These projects need to be written outside the US by people who are not
|
|
471 US citizens, to avoid problems with US export control law.
|
5119
|
472
|
9890
|
473 @itemize @bullet
|
5119
|
474 @item
|
32527
|
475 A free library for public-key encryption. This library can probably be
|
|
476 developed from the code for the GNU Privacy Guard.
|
|
477
|
17487
|
478 @item
|
32527
|
479 An implementation of SSLv3 (more precisely, TLSv1) which has
|
|
480 distribution terms compatible with the GNU GPL. We know of a
|
|
481 GPL-covered implemention of a version of SSL that you can use as a
|
|
482 starting point.
|
23774
|
483
|
|
484 @item
|
17557
|
485 Free software for doing secure commercial transactions on the web.
|
|
486 This too needs public key encryption.
|
18864
|
487 @end itemize
|
5119
|
488
|
24112
|
489 @node Other Projects, Languages, Encryption Projects, Top
|
18864
|
490 @chapter Other Projects
|
|
491
|
|
492 If you think of others that should be added, please
|
32527
|
493 send them to @email{tasks@@gnu.org}.
|
18864
|
494
|
|
495 @itemize @bullet
|
24244
|
496 @ignore OpenBIOS is doing this
|
5119
|
497 @item
|
23041
|
498 A simple PC BIOS. On most new PCs, the BIOS is stored in writable
|
|
499 memory (misleadingly known as ``flash ROM''). In order to have a wholly
|
|
500 free system on these PCs, we need a free BIOS.
|
|
501
|
|
502 This task is made simpler by the fact that this BIOS need only support
|
|
503 enough features to enable a boot-loader such as LILO or GRUB to finish
|
|
504 loading the kernel. Neither Linux nor Mach actually uses the BIOS once
|
|
505 it starts up. Also, it is not absolutely necessary to do all the many
|
|
506 diagnostics that an ordinary BIOS does (though it would be useful to do
|
|
507 some of them). However, there may be a need to configure certain data
|
|
508 in the computer in a way that is specific to each model of computer.
|
24244
|
509 @end ignore
|
23041
|
510
|
17706
|
511 @item
|
5119
|
512 An imitation of Page Maker or Ventura Publisher.
|
|
513
|
|
514 @item
|
24888
|
515 An imitation of @code{dbase2} or @code{dbase3}. (How dbased!)
|
32527
|
516 Harbour, a free replacement for Clipper, would provide a useful start.
|
|
517 @uref{http://www.harbour-project.org/}.
|
5119
|
518
|
26126
|
519 @ignore @c being done by Jonas etc.
|
5119
|
520 @item
|
15866
|
521 A general ledger program, including support for accounts payable,
|
|
522 account receivables, payroll, inventory control, order processing, etc.
|
26126
|
523 @end ignore
|
15866
|
524
|
|
525 @item
|
23041
|
526 A free replacement for Glimpse, which is not free software.
|
35986
|
527 Swish does some parts of the job, but not all.
|
23041
|
528
|
23610
|
529 @item
|
|
530 Software for desktop publishing. We are extending Emacs into a WYSIWYG
|
|
531 word processor, to handle primarily linear text; what this item proposes
|
|
532 is software focused on page layout.
|
|
533
|
24060
|
534 @ignore It looks like TruePrint will fill this gap
|
23041
|
535 @item
|
|
536 A program to typeset C code for printing, to make it easier to read on
|
|
537 paper. For ideas on what to do, see the book,
|
5119
|
538
|
|
539 @display
|
|
540 Human Factors and Typography for More Readable Programs,
|
|
541 Ronald M. Baecker and Aaron Marcus,
|
|
542 Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-10745-7
|
|
543 @end display
|
|
544
|
23041
|
545 But you don't have to do exactly what they propose.
|
24060
|
546 @end ignore
|
5119
|
547
|
23041
|
548 @ignore
|
|
549 @c This is now being worked on -- rms, 22 June 1998
|
5119
|
550 @item
|
18588
|
551 A program to convert Microsoft Word documents to text/enriched, TeX,
|
|
552 LaTeX, Texinfo, or some other format that free software can edit.
|
23041
|
553 @end ignore
|
|
554
|
|
555 @ignore
|
|
556 @c People are helping the developer of siff release it as free software.
|
18165
|
557
|
|
558 @item
|
23081
|
559 A free replacement for siff (sometimes called sif). This would be a
|
23041
|
560 program to find similar files in a large file system, ``similar''
|
|
561 meaning that the files contain a significant number of common substrings
|
|
562 that are of a certain size or greater. You can find some information
|
|
563 about siff (which is, unfortunately, not free software) at
|
|
564 @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.arizona.edu/reports/1993/TR93-33.ps.Z}.
|
|
565 @end ignore
|
|
566
|
|
567 @ignore
|
|
568 @c This is being developed -- rms, 3 May 1998
|
|
569 @item
|
18165
|
570 A free replacement for the semi-free Qt library.
|
23041
|
571 @end ignore
|
18165
|
572
|
32527
|
573 @ignore
|
|
574 @c Ogg Vorbis is doing this, see @url{http://www.xiph.org/ogg/vorbis/index.html} or contact @email{Monty <monty@xiph.org>}.
|
|
575
|
18165
|
576 @item
|
18864
|
577 High-quality music compression software.
|
32527
|
578 (Talk with @email{mt@@sulaco.org} for relevant suggestions.)
|
24244
|
579 Unfortunately we cannot implement the popular MP3 format
|
|
580 due to patents, so this job includes working out some other
|
|
581 non-patented format and compression method.
|
32527
|
582 @end ignore
|
18864
|
583
|
|
584 @item
|
|
585 A program to play sound distributed in ``Real Audio'' format.
|
|
586
|
|
587 @item
|
|
588 A program to generate ``Real Audio'' format from audio input.
|
|
589
|
23041
|
590 @item
|
|
591 Programs to handle audio in RTSP format.
|
|
592
|
18997
|
593 @ignore @c Software patents have made this domain off limits to free software.
|
18864
|
594 @item
|
|
595 An MPEG III audio encoder/decoder (but it is necessary to check, first,
|
|
596 whether patents make this impossible).
|
|
597
|
32527
|
598 @c Chris Hofstader is working on a non-Festival speech-generation program.
|
|
599 @c Mario Lang <lang@zid.tu-graz.ac.at> reports that Festival needs only
|
|
600 @c to be 2-5 times faster to work well with Emacspeak.
|
18864
|
601 @item
|
32527
|
602 Speech-generation programs that are faster than the Festival engine.
|
|
603 This might be done by optimizing Festival.
|
5119
|
604
|
24111
|
605 @c We have a project now.
|
5119
|
606 @item
|
15935
|
607 Speech-recognition programs (single-speaker, disconnected speech is sufficient).
|
24111
|
608 @end ignore
|
15935
|
609
|
24037
27aaa7fcac6a
rms added a braille translation and formatting system; I'm checking in
Joel N. Weber II <devnull@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
610 @item
|
27aaa7fcac6a
rms added a braille translation and formatting system; I'm checking in
Joel N. Weber II <devnull@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
611 A braille translation and formatting system which can convert marked up
|
27aaa7fcac6a
rms added a braille translation and formatting system; I'm checking in
Joel N. Weber II <devnull@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
612 documents into braille. This should let the user customize the braille
|
27aaa7fcac6a
rms added a braille translation and formatting system; I'm checking in
Joel N. Weber II <devnull@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
613 translation rules; it would be good to divide it into a
|
27aaa7fcac6a
rms added a braille translation and formatting system; I'm checking in
Joel N. Weber II <devnull@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
614 device-independent part plus drivers. Contact Jason White,
|
24038
|
615 @email{jasonw@@ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU}.
|
24037
27aaa7fcac6a
rms added a braille translation and formatting system; I'm checking in
Joel N. Weber II <devnull@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
616
|
23041
|
617 @ignore Being done
|
|
618 @item
|
|
619 A program to display text word by word, always showing just one word at
|
|
620 a time. This method permits much faster reading than ordinary text
|
|
621 display. If you want to work on this, contact @email{stutz@@dsl.org} to
|
|
622 learn more.
|
|
623 @end ignore
|
|
624
|
15935
|
625 @item
|
16935
|
626 More scientific mathematical subroutines.
|
|
627 (A clone of SPSS is being written already.)
|
5119
|
628
|
|
629 @item
|
17557
|
630 A scientific data collection and processing tool,
|
|
631 perhaps something like Scientific Workbench and/or Khoros,
|
|
632
|
|
633 @item
|
25076
|
634 A program to calculate properties of molecules by solving
|
|
635 the Schroedinger equation.
|
|
636
|
|
637 @item
|
32527
|
638 Software to replace card catalogs in libraries.
|
5119
|
639
|
|
640 @item
|
24696
|
641 A simulator for heating and air conditioning systems for buildings.
|
|
642
|
32527
|
643 @ignore
|
|
644 @c Pat Deegan @email{pat@@psychogenic.com} is working on this.
|
|
645 @c no URL yet, the status is updated in @file{volunteers}
|
|
646
|
|
647 @item
|
|
648 A program for voting and tabulating election results.
|
|
649
|
|
650 @end ignore
|
|
651
|
24696
|
652 @item
|
23856
|
653 A package for editing genealogical records conveniently.
|
|
654 This could perhaps be done as a Gnome program, or perhaps
|
24753
|
655 as an Emacs extension.
|
23856
|
656
|
32527
|
657 @ignore
|
|
658 @c ToutDoux aims to do this.
|
|
659
|
23856
|
660 @item
|
18864
|
661 A project-scheduling package that accepts a list of project sub-tasks
|
|
662 with their interdependencies, and generates Gantt charts and Pert charts
|
|
663 and all the other standard project progress reports.
|
32527
|
664 @end ignore
|
18864
|
665
|
|
666 @item
|
5119
|
667 Grammar and style checking programs.
|
|
668
|
|
669 @item
|
25077
|
670 A diagnostic program to test a hard disk.
|
|
671
|
|
672 @item
|
5119
|
673 Optical character recognition programs; especially if suitable for
|
|
674 scanning documents with multiple fonts and capturing font info as well
|
14803
|
675 as character codes. Work is being done on this, but more help is needed.
|
8484
|
676
|
32527
|
677 @c Some of the OCR work being done:
|
|
678 @c Luis Cearra <luisjc@lem.eui.upm.es>, http://lem.eui.upm.es/ocre.html
|
|
679 @c The status of these projects is updated in @file{/gd/gnuorg/volunteers}
|
|
680
|
5119
|
681 @item
|
35986
|
682 A program to scan a line drawing and convert it to editable Postscript,
|
|
683 or some other editable format.
|
5119
|
684
|
|
685 @item
|
35986
|
686 A program to recognize handwriting (we don't believe PocketLinux's
|
|
687 handwriting capability is ready for non-PocketLinux environments, yet).
|
|
688
|
5119
|
689
|
|
690 @item
|
32527
|
691 A program that can translate from one natural language, into another.
|
|
692 For example, a program to translate French into English.
|
|
693
|
|
694 @item
|
5119
|
695 A pen based interface.
|
|
696
|
|
697 @item
|
|
698 CAD software, such as a vague imitation of Autocad.
|
18864
|
699
|
|
700 @item
|
|
701 A program to receive data from a serial-line tap to facilitate the
|
|
702 reverse-engineering of communication protocols.
|
32527
|
703
|
|
704 @item
|
|
705 A database program designed to store and retrieve patent information.
|
|
706
|
|
707 @item
|
|
708 A free software package to run on a Palm Pilot in place of its usual
|
|
709 software, doing more or less the usual jobs. (Linux, the kernel, has
|
|
710 apparently been ported, but according to what we hear this port is not
|
|
711 useful yet.)
|
|
712
|
5119
|
713 @end itemize
|
|
714
|
35986
|
715 @node Languages, Education, Other Projects, Top
|
23610
|
716 @chapter Programming Languages
|
5119
|
717
|
9890
|
718 Volunteers are needed to write parsers/front ends for languages such as
|
24249
|
719 Algol 60, Algol 68, PL/I, Cobol, Fortran 90, Delphi, Modula 2, Modula 3,
|
24636
|
720 RPG, and any other languages designed for compilation, to be used with
|
|
721 the code generation phases of the GNU C compiler.
|
11168
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
722
|
23041
|
723 @c Fortran status is here so gnu@gnu.org and the volunteer coordinators
|
10068
|
724 @c don't have to answer the question -len
|
11168
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
725 You can get the status of the Fortran front end with this command:
|
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
726
|
10068
|
727 @example
|
23041
|
728 finger -l fortran@@gnu.org
|
10068
|
729 @end example
|
5119
|
730
|
23610
|
731 We would like to have translators from various languages into Scheme.
|
23774
|
732 These languages include TCL, Python, Perl, Java, Javascript, and Rexx.
|
32527
|
733 Perhaps Clipper as well.
|
23610
|
734
|
35986
|
735 @node Education, Games and Recreations, Languages, Top
|
|
736 @chapter Education
|
|
737
|
|
738 Programs for studying, teaching or doing administrative tasks in schools.
|
|
739 See @uref{http://www.gnu.org/education/} for additional information.
|
|
740
|
|
741 @itemize @bullet
|
|
742 @item
|
|
743 A programm to organize automatically the schedule of a school given
|
|
744 constraints about teachers, rooms, times, and students.
|
|
745
|
|
746 @item
|
|
747 A program to edit dance notation (such as labanotation) and display
|
|
748 dancers moving on the screen. Gepetto does some of this work. Contact
|
|
749 @email{gvc@@gnu.org} if you are interested in helping finish the job.
|
|
750
|
|
751 @end itemize
|
|
752
|
|
753 @node Games and Recreations, , Education, Top
|
5120
|
754 @chapter Games and Recreations
|
5119
|
755
|
15866
|
756 Video-oriented games that work with the X window system.
|
|
757
|
9890
|
758 @itemize @bullet
|
5119
|
759 @item
|
|
760 Empire (there is a free version but it needs upgrading)
|
|
761
|
|
762 @item
|
11168
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
763 An ``empire builder'' system that makes it easy to write various kinds of
|
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
764 simulation games.
|
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
765
|
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
766 @item
|
35986
|
767 Improve GnuGo @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo.html}, which is not yet very sophisticated.
|
15866
|
768
|
|
769 @item
|
23610
|
770 Network servers and clients for board and card games for which such
|
|
771 software does not yet exist.
|
|
772
|
|
773 @item
|
23041
|
774 A Hierarchical Task Network package which can be used
|
|
775 to program play the computer's side in various strategic games.
|
|
776
|
|
777 @item
|
32527
|
778 A game like Mill/Nine Men's Morris.
|
|
779
|
|
780 @item
|
23041
|
781 Write imitations of some popular video games:
|
5119
|
782
|
9890
|
783 @itemize -
|
5119
|
784 @item
|
|
785 Space war, Asteroids, Pong, Columns.
|
|
786 @item
|
|
787 Defending cities from missiles.
|
|
788 @item
|
11168
0d016216ea29
Delete extension language project. Add GNUstep. Move empire-builder.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
789 Plane shoots at lots of other planes, tanks, etc.
|
5119
|
790 @item
|
23041
|
791 Wizard fights fanciful monsters.
|
5119
|
792 @item
|
|
793 A golf game.
|
23041
|
794 @ignore Being done by jhall1@isd.net
|
5119
|
795 @item
|
|
796 Program a robot by sticking building blocks together,
|
|
797 then watch it explore a world.
|
23041
|
798 @end ignore
|
5119
|
799 @item
|
18165
|
800 Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American and @cite{The Blind
|
|
801 Watchmaker}).
|
5119
|
802 @end itemize
|
|
803 @end itemize
|
|
804
|
|
805 We do not need @code{rogue}, as we have @code{hack}.
|
|
806
|
|
807 @contents
|
|
808
|
|
809 @bye
|
32527
|
810 @c LocalWords: dir texi lastupdate uref http www org html helpgnu ifinfo ftp
|
|
811 @c LocalWords: dvi hurd toc gvc URL GTK XmHTML xs nl ripley NT com gettext Qt
|
|
812 @c LocalWords: GUI libstdc Docbook SGML libc sed STL Gforth GNUstep TCSH Perl
|
|
813 @c LocalWords: Ghostscript PIC GCC Texinfo grep dc bc ethernet GDB IP CIFS CU
|
|
814 @c LocalWords: SMB SVGA Khoros Automake OpenStep diff roff Smail tron veritas
|
|
815 @c LocalWords: cxref ctrace API LilyPond xephem labanotation LessTif outliner
|
|
816 @c LocalWords: Hypercard morphing SeeMe ICQ Diffie Helman RSA SSLv TLSv GPL
|
|
817 @c LocalWords: OpenBIOS BIOS LILO dbase dbased Harbour harbour WYSIWYG ISBN
|
|
818 @c LocalWords: TruePrint Baecker siff sif cs arizona edu TR ps mt sulaco MP
|
|
819 @c LocalWords: RTSP MPEG jasonw ariel ucs unimelb AU stutz dsl TCL Javascript
|
|
820 @c LocalWords: Rexx GnuGo jhall isd Biomorph regexp eval gd gnuorg
|
23041
|
821 Local variables:
|
|
822 update-date-leading-regexp: "@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:\n@set lastupdate "
|
|
823 update-date-trailing-regexp: ""
|
|
824 eval: (load "/gd/gnuorg/update-date.el")
|
|
825 eval: (add-hook 'write-file-hooks 'update-date)
|
35986
|
826 compile-command: "make just-tasks"
|
23041
|
827 End:
|