From 7c4978a87e0e1c384a2cd09e1e20b26aa6e8d3e1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Richard M. Stallman" Date: Sun, 8 Jun 1997 03:58:22 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Add Highest Priority section. CC mode is documented. Clarify Kermit replacement, Biomorphs. Add MS-WORD conversion, Qt replacement, Eiffel. --- etc/tasks.texi | 92 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------ 1 file changed, 70 insertions(+), 22 deletions(-) diff --git a/etc/tasks.texi b/etc/tasks.texi index 9ce87966c16..a496f40e156 100644 --- a/etc/tasks.texi +++ b/etc/tasks.texi @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ @setfilename tasks.info @settitle GNU Task List @c UPDATE THIS DATE WHENEVER YOU MAKE CHANGES! -@set lastupdate 15 May 1997 +@set lastupdate 7 June 1997 @c %**end of header @setchapternewpage off @@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ last updated on @value{lastupdate}. @end ifinfo @menu -* Preface:: +* Intro:: +* Highest Priority:: * Documentation:: * Unix-Related Projects:: * Kernel Projects:: @@ -34,15 +35,17 @@ last updated on @value{lastupdate}. * Games and Recreations:: @end menu -@node Preface, Documentation, Top, Top +@node Intro @chapter About the GNU Task List -Check with @code{gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu}, for a possibly more current -copy. You can also ftp it from a GNU FTP host in directory -@file{/pub/gnu/tasks} - These files in different formats are available: -@file{tasks.text}, @file{tasks.texi}, @file{tasks.info}, and -@file{tasks.dvi}. It is also available on the GNU World Wide Web -server: @file{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu}. +If you did not obtain this file directly from the GNU project and +recently, please check for a newer version. You can ftp it the task +list from any GNU FTP host in directory @file{/pub/gnu/tasks}. The task +list is available there in several different formats: @file{tasks.text}, +@file{tasks.texi}, @file{tasks.info}, and @file{tasks.dvi}. + +The task list is also available on the GNU World Wide Web server: +@url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu/prep/tasks_toc.html}. If you start working steadily on a project, please let @code{gnu@@prep} know. We might have information that could help you; we'd also like to @@ -69,6 +72,51 @@ to improve performance. Users who use the new functionality will appreciate it very much, if they use it; but even when they benefit from a performance improvement, they may not consider it very important. +@node Highest Priority +@chapter Highest Priority + +This task list mentions a large number of tasks that would be more or +less useful. With luck, at least one of them will inspire you to start +writing. It's better for you to work on any task that inspires you than +not write free software at all. + +But if you would like to work on what we need most, here is a list of +high priority projects. + +@itemize @bullet +@item +If you are good at writing documentation, please do. + +@item +If you are very good at C programming and interested in kernels, you can +help develop the GNU HURD. Please look at +@url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu:/software/hurd/hurd.html}. then contact +@email{gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu} and ask for the latest HURD task list. + +@item +If you are a Scheme fan, please help develop Guile. Please look +at @url{http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu:/software/guile/guile.html} and then +contact @email{guile@@gnu.ai.mit.edu}. + +@item +Help develop the GNU web browser, E-scape. + +@item +Help develop Windows NT emulation for GNU systems---for example, WINE. + +@item +Implement the Kermit data transfer protocol. (See below.) + +@item +Develop a free compatible replacement for Qt, a graphics toolkit +library. + +@item +Develop a substitute, which runs on GNU systems, for some very popular +or very important application that many non-programmers use on Windows, +and which has no comparable free equivalent now. +@end itemize + @node Documentation @chapter Documentation @@ -76,10 +124,6 @@ We very urgently need documentation for some parts of the system that already exist or will exist very soon: @itemize @bullet -@item -Completion of the documentation for CC-mode, a new Emacs mode for -C, C++ and other languages. - @item A C reference manual. (RMS made a try at one, which you could start with). @@ -87,7 +131,6 @@ with). @item A manual for Ghostscript. - @item A manual for TCSH. @@ -317,9 +360,8 @@ Free software for doing secure commercial transactions on the web. This too needs public key encryption. @item -A free program that does the same job as Kermit. Actual compatibility -with Kermit is not necessary, and you could make the job easier by using -@code{sz} and @code{rz} to do the actual file transfer. +A free program that can transfer files on a serial line +using the same protocol that Kermit uses. @item An imitation of Page Maker or Ventura Publisher. @@ -352,6 +394,13 @@ Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-10745-7 (I don't quite agree with a few of the details they propose.) +@item +A program to convert Microsoft Word documents to TeX, LaTeX, Texinfo, +text/enriched or some other format that free software can edit. + +@item +A free replacement for the semi-free Qt library. + @item Speech-generation programs (there is a program from Brown U that you could improve). @@ -411,10 +460,8 @@ CAD software, such as a vague imitation of Autocad. @chapter Compilers for Other Batch Languages Volunteers are needed to write parsers/front ends for languages such as -Algol 60, Algol 68, PL/I, Cobol, Fortran 90, or whatever, to be used -with the code generation phases of the GNU C compiler. (C, C++, and -Objective-C are done; Fortran 77 is mostly done; Ada, Pascal, and Java -are being worked on.) +Algol 60, Algol 68, PL/I, Cobol, Fortran 90, Eiffel, or whatever, to be +used with the code generation phases of the GNU C compiler. @c Fortran status is here so gnu@prep and the volunteer coordinators @c don't have to answer the question -len @@ -462,7 +509,8 @@ A golf game. Program a robot by sticking building blocks together, then watch it explore a world. @item -Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American). +Biomorph evolution (as in Scientific American and @cite{The Blind +Watchmaker}). @item A program to display effects of moving at relativistic speeds. @end itemize -- 2.39.2