Hi guys,
I've had an idea for a GSOC project that doesn't appear in the project list. It's something I've been considering for a while, but before I write a full proper proposal with timelines and technical outlines, I want to see if this isn't just a random idea I am alone in wanting to see happen :)
In general, my idea is to produce a physics-related image rendering engine, similar to LaTeX only for physics visual demonstrations. So, while LaTeX takes text-based 'code' and renders it into an image of the equation, my idea would take text-based 'code' and render it into a visual representation of the equation.
The easiest idea to demonstrate is something like 'projectile motion' that would produce a simple graph of the motion -- but this can also be used to represent rotational movement with vector representations, collisions, or electricity/magnetism images.
It is meant mostly for educators, tutors, schools and physics-related articles but can be used by anyone who wants to produce an image representation of an equation without editing that image in a separate software.
This can become a huge project eventually, if we include advanced physics and many other features, but it can start out as a basic "physics 101" image rendering engine with select subjects, and perhaps grow from there.
In terms of how to do this technically, I was thinking of using either a php imaging techniques (jpg or svg), or even jQuery libraries like RaphaelJS or others. The images are relatively basic (circles / arrows / boxes, etc).
The main challenge would be to produce something that's easy to use and yet robust enough to be useful -- as well as flexible so we can add more equations/subjects to it in the future.
A rough draft of the idea with a brief summary is here: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:Mooeypoo/GSOC_2013_Project
Please let me know what you think! Do you think it's feasible? Am I getting myself in too deep? Is it something you would like to see or am I the only one who'd use something like this?
Thank you very much for any feedback!
Moriel (aka mooeypoo)
Hi, I am also an applicant for GSoC. The idea will have a huge user base when implemented. The use of imaging will be liked by a lot of teachers and students alike. For basic imaging we could also use the canvas element of HTML5. The only thing that can stop this project from using campus is people using old browsers which do not support HTML5. In case canvas is used we need to have a graceful fallback option using one of the technologies you mentioned.
Thank You, Aarti
On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 11:56 PM, Moriel Schottlender moriel@gmail.comwrote:
Hi guys,
I've had an idea for a GSOC project that doesn't appear in the project list. It's something I've been considering for a while, but before I write a full proper proposal with timelines and technical outlines, I want to see if this isn't just a random idea I am alone in wanting to see happen :)
In general, my idea is to produce a physics-related image rendering engine, similar to LaTeX only for physics visual demonstrations. So, while LaTeX takes text-based 'code' and renders it into an image of the equation, my idea would take text-based 'code' and render it into a visual representation of the equation.
The easiest idea to demonstrate is something like 'projectile motion' that would produce a simple graph of the motion -- but this can also be used to represent rotational movement with vector representations, collisions, or electricity/magnetism images.
It is meant mostly for educators, tutors, schools and physics-related articles but can be used by anyone who wants to produce an image representation of an equation without editing that image in a separate software.
This can become a huge project eventually, if we include advanced physics and many other features, but it can start out as a basic "physics 101" image rendering engine with select subjects, and perhaps grow from there.
In terms of how to do this technically, I was thinking of using either a php imaging techniques (jpg or svg), or even jQuery libraries like RaphaelJS or others. The images are relatively basic (circles / arrows / boxes, etc).
The main challenge would be to produce something that's easy to use and yet robust enough to be useful -- as well as flexible so we can add more equations/subjects to it in the future.
A rough draft of the idea with a brief summary is here: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:Mooeypoo/GSOC_2013_Project
Please let me know what you think! Do you think it's feasible? Am I getting myself in too deep? Is it something you would like to see or am I the only one who'd use something like this?
Thank you very much for any feedback!
Moriel (aka mooeypoo)
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Hello Moriel,
On 04/26/2013 11:26 AM, Moriel Schottlender wrote:
Hi guys,
I've had an idea for a GSOC project that doesn't appear in the project list. It's something I've been considering for a while, but before I write a full proper proposal with timelines and technical outlines, I want to see if this isn't just a random idea I am alone in wanting to see happen :)
Your idea is interesting, but the very short term problem I see with it is the availability of qualified mentors. There is also the point of assessing how relevant and wanted would this feature be for MediaWiki and Wikimedia projects.
I would wait until the end of Monday to see the feedback you get, and whether any volunteer mentors show interest. If so, you will have time enough to present a proposal with the est of your knowledge. If not you still have some margin for a more conservative plan B e.g. choosing one of the featured project ideas at
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Summer_of_Code_2013
Good luck! And thank you for your interest in working on a Wikimedia project.
In general, my idea is to produce a physics-related image rendering engine, similar to LaTeX only for physics visual demonstrations. So, while LaTeX takes text-based 'code' and renders it into an image of the equation, my idea would take text-based 'code' and render it into a visual representation of the equation.
The easiest idea to demonstrate is something like 'projectile motion' that would produce a simple graph of the motion -- but this can also be used to represent rotational movement with vector representations, collisions, or electricity/magnetism images.
It is meant mostly for educators, tutors, schools and physics-related articles but can be used by anyone who wants to produce an image representation of an equation without editing that image in a separate software.
This can become a huge project eventually, if we include advanced physics and many other features, but it can start out as a basic "physics 101" image rendering engine with select subjects, and perhaps grow from there.
In terms of how to do this technically, I was thinking of using either a php imaging techniques (jpg or svg), or even jQuery libraries like RaphaelJS or others. The images are relatively basic (circles / arrows / boxes, etc).
The main challenge would be to produce something that's easy to use and yet robust enough to be useful -- as well as flexible so we can add more equations/subjects to it in the future.
A rough draft of the idea with a brief summary is here: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:Mooeypoo/GSOC_2013_Project
Please let me know what you think! Do you think it's feasible? Am I getting myself in too deep? Is it something you would like to see or am I the only one who'd use something like this?
Thank you very much for any feedback!
Moriel (aka mooeypoo)
wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org