Hello, I am willing to participate in GSOC this year for the first time, but I am a little bit worried about choosing the idea, I have one and I am not sure if it suits this program. I will be very glad if you will take a small look at my idea and tell your thoughts. Will be happy to every feedback. Thank you.
Project Idea
What is the purpose?
Help people in reading complex texts by providing inline translation for unknown words. For me as a non-native English speaker student sometimes is hard to read complicated texts or articles, that's why I need to search for translation or description every time. Why not to simplify this and change the flow from translate and understand to translate, learn and understand?
How inline translation will appear?
While user is reading an article, he could find some unknown words or words with confusing meaning for him. At this point he clicks on the selected word and the inline translation appears.
What should be included in inline translation?
Thus it is not just a translator, it should include not only one translation, but a couple or more. Also more data can be included such as synonyms, which can be discussed during project completion.
From which source gather the data?
Wiktionary is the best candidate, it is an open source and it has a wide database. It also suits for growing your project by adding different languages.
Evaluation needs
There are two ways in my mind right now. First is to make a web-site built on Node.js with open API for users. Parsoid could be used for parsing data from Wiktionary API which is suitable for Node. A small JavaScript widget is also required for front-end representation.
Second is to make a standalone library which can be used alone on other resources as an add-on or in browser extensions. Unfortunately, last option is more confusing for me at this point.
Growth opportunities
I am leaving in Finland right now and I don't know Finnish as I should to understand locals, therefore this project can be expanded by adding more languages support for helping people like me reading, learning and understanding texts in foreign languages.