[kde-edu]: kvtml is a begin, but it can be better: flashcard/dictionary file standardisation for the whole desktop

[Sander Devrieze]

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Hello,

A lot of time ago, I already thaught about standardisation for files of 
flashcard applications. But now I found a little time rearange my ideas. They 
can be found (in bad) English at: 
http://openstandaarden.be/wiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CardAndWordListFileFormat 
(where the changes up to May 20, 2004, at 11:50 PM are all mine)

Here I copy the most important section for discussion on kde-edu-list:

- -------------------

The market of flashcard software is higly segmented (especially Open Source) 
and their isn't any difficult to break monopoly in this market yet, which 
isn't true in other 'desktop domains'. Further, this market can have many 
growth in the future as not much people in the target group are using such 
software already. All this makes FLOSS can get reasonable easily a higher 
market share. But some things need to change then. 

The biggest problem is that their isn't no file format standard and that every 
project reinvents their own format which isn't compatble with other flashcard 
FLOSS. This makes it difficults for users to share their flashcard files or 
migrate to alternative software. As many of these new projects die early 
because motivation decreases(not enough hackers/user base/double work). As a 
result the (small) user base of the death project are the 'dupe': they can't 
use their files in other applications and they don't see new features and 
more important bugfixes if they can't hack or if the people that can hack, 
more like to join another project. (eg: a small school with a lot of 
flashcard files of a died project might get in 'trouble' if they can't use 
them in other apps) 

That's why I think it would be interesting if the flashcard projects create a 
standard format at eg. www.freedesktop.org and then use it as default and 
make that people can import (and eventually export) to the old file format. 

In a later stage a co-ordinated pool with flashcard files in this format would 
be nice. (eg: something like this: http://jisp.netflint.net/ but bigger of 
course ;-) )

- -------------------

So if someone (or more people) is interested in it, has time for it, knows 
about the internal workings of flashcard software, knows about 
standardisation,... (only the first thing applies to me); feel free to use 
this wiki, to copy the text on the wiki to the KDE wiki, to add 
ideas/remarks, to contact the project leaders in the listed projects to ask 
them if they want to help, to actually make a standard, to implement this 
standard, to promote this standard,...


Remark: If you're not interested in this, you might still be interested in the 
list of applications and their remarks which I found during my small research 
('FLOSS Flashcard applications' section), as they sometimes has great 
features/ideas that also can be nice(r) to have in kde-edu applications.

ps: I'm not on the kde-edu-list.

- -- 
Mvg, Sander Devrieze.

JabberID: sander at l4l.be -- ( http://jabber.l4l.be/ )
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