Google SoC Idea: web-interface library

[Cornelius Schumacher]

On Thursday 20 March 2008 19:37:58 Matej Svejda wrote:
>
> My "idea" is to put all this into a library so that applications can
> really easily create web-interfaces. Besides the ones I've mentioned
> there are many other applications where a web-interface makes sense:
> Kiosk (once it has been ported to KDE 4), some KCM-modules, Kontact
> (maybe directly Akonadi), Juk, Strigi/Nepomuk, ....

That's a very interesting idea. It also sounds like a very challenging 
project.

> So here's my plan:
>
>   * create a simple, light-weight HTTP server using
> QTcpServer-functionality (maybe add features like mod_rewrite so
> web-frameworks like rails can be used)

Why create a new server? There are plenty of web servers around.

>   * connect this web server to use Kross for executing scripts. This
> would give it instant ability to write code in Python, Ruby,
> JavaSciprt (?) and Java

What would be the usage scenario for this kind of language connection? How 
would somebody wanting to provide a web interface for his KDE application 
make use if it?

>   * make adding objects and modules from the application to the
> web-frontend script possible through Kross

What would adding objects and module actually mean?

>   * maybe create a PHP backend for Kross since most web-software is
> developed in PHP

I understand the idea as a way to provide a way for existing KDE applications 
to get a web interface, not the other way around, coupling existing web 
applications to KDE. So in what way would PHP be relevant here?

>  * port one of the existing web-interfaces to this solution or maybe
> create a new one

That's certainly a good plan.

> So what do you guys think? Is this doable? Is this too short/long for
> a SoC project?

It depends on the concrete goal of the project and how it's approached. As a 
generic solution it sounds like a pretty tough project to do in the 
time-frame of the SoC. This of course also highly depends on your background 
and how much you would have to learn to be able to become productive.

-- 
Cornelius Schumacher <schumacher at kde.org>