2014-03-18, 12:07 PM
First of all I would like to see the creation of a "feature rich" Editor plugin sophisticated enough to use MyBB as a Collaborative CMS-like environment.
I envision a better quality of editing tool, one that provides a broader spectrum of formatting than the current offerings and includes spell checking or at the least allows for the browser-based spell checkers in Firefox and Chrome to work properly. Specifically I would like to see greater format fidelity from the current offerings of WYSIWYG Editor plugins, specifically the layout that is accomplished following the completed document. The mission is to promote a more engaged level of discourse with more energy, encourage commitment to a more extended expression of ideas, and hopefully a mindfulness evidenced by depth and sagacity of thought. I want to also provision MyBB with the option for greater spontaneity via XMPP Chat but we'll get to that later here.
To achieve these goals I suggest one of two possibilities:
The Infamous Google Doc Plugin
Using Shade's MyGoogle+ Connect plugin to gain both access to MyBB and pass-through to concurrently sign on to Google Drive we make use of some implementation or emulation of an iframe, which holds a Google Doc (Editor within Google Drive) with the output scripted to save to HTML and Post to the MyBB post container. The format quality of the live document would make the preview function superfluous so the install would disable the function and remove the button. I've had as many as 6 people brainstorming and editing the same document in Google Docs with use of the concurrent chat feature to help keep the confusion to a minimum.
http://mods.mybb.com/view/mygoogle-connect
LibreOffice Online
The alternative to the Google Doc that I suggest is to utilize the HTML5 Canvas element, using "Broadway" (an HTML5/Wayland backend for the Gtk+ development toolkit). Because it depends on WebSocket and the Canvas element, it may not work in all mainstream browsers yet although my information about compatibility is at least a year old because I haven't talked with Michael Meeks in a several of months. Oh, that's right I haven't even mentioned him yet. Well I've been in correspondence with Michael Meeks, the Novell developer who is prototyping LibreOffice Online (In your browser, think Google Doc but with more features) and asked him candidly what it would take to get LibreOffice online using their current preferred strategy and he mentioned a figure in the upper range of a couple of million $/USD. I'm not at all sure that he took me seriously but I'm fairly sure he would get religion quickly enough so to speak if I'm able to accomplish funding. In case you are having a difficult time grasping what I'm rambling about Michael has published a compelling demonstration of LibreOffice Productivity Suite performing in a Firefox browser I think there is another demo of it working in Chrome or Chromium. I'm researching whether LibreOffice documents support simultaneous collaborative editing like MS Word and Google Doc do.
Please follow the unobscured link that follows for the demonstration.
https://people.gnome.org/~michael/data/2...-demo.webm
XMPP Chat Client
To expedite collaboration and enhance esprit de corps of MyBB users I'm also proposing that someone undertake the creation of a plugin to streamline the installation of the install of the "Jappix Mini", a browser-based 1:1, One to Many (only for admins), or Group format that rests in the footer of the browser and facilitates conversation while allowing one to move from page to page within the forums more or less as a "Facebook Chat Clone" which is Jappix description not mine although it's an apt description. The key feature being that one can peruse the Bulletin Board's forums and the chat client will follow you along the same as the chat client on Facebook.
The two things that need to be done are make the install local only which means chat is restricted to only those chat clients within the MyBB's Domain. If that isn't done then there is no point in having people register and login to your Bulletin Board in the first place. Interestingly enough you have the option of local configuration but hosted by Jappix or you can setup your own BOSH server but you will need root access to do it. I've selected the Prosŏdy iM Server to be installed on top of a standard MySQL database although Prosŏdy doesn't require a SQL server to function.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosody_(software)
For my use I want a local client configuration and local hosting on my own server. Only registered members of my forums will be able to use it to log into their respective forum's domains. Without too much trouble, it should be possible for the MyBB User authentication to automagically pass through from the login to the Mini Client so that their name is already populated in the chat window as they arrive. Lastly I would like to see the appearance of the XMPP client repressed until the User login is completed. A little security through obscurity never hurt anyone.
I would ideally like to see a two part install script.
(A.) Install script for Prosŏdy that connects it to the MySQL instance with guided prompts for configuration.
(B.) Install script for Jappix Mini Client that plugs it into the MyBB software installation. When I tried this before I ran into trouble because the client was only partially recognizing the CSS style from the theme I was using (I had a dark theme with white text, the Mini ended up with white text on a white background). At the time no one at Jappix had any idea what could be causing it. I've checked their documentation since then and now there is the following warning:
Why does Jappix Mini look strange on my website?
There might be some of your website CSS code which apply to Jappix Mini too. You should use class or id selectors instead of using global element selectors (for instance, you'd better select something with a CSS class rather than use its element name, like div).
Personally I'd like to get at the insides of the Jappix module and learn how to better craft our CSS to customize the Client as an integrated part of each theme. We've got some sharp code-smithies here that I'm sure are up for the challenge to create a seamless look between the Jappix Mini and the rest of the Bulletin Board themes they create.
Warmest regards
Auriel Sylviannai Kitsu
Post Script: I've discovered that a single Prosŏdy instance can serve thousands of virtual hosts. My contribution to the MyBB Community aside from eventually working on code or any other form of useful housekeeping that is needed by the community will be the exclusive access to my Prosŏdy server to registered members of the MyBB community. Only MyBB installations will be allowed. That will be free as in both free speech and free beer, although it would be nice if people would make donations to keep the lights on and the bandwidth flowing. If you guys start to make a dent in my bandwidth then we will eventually get serious and start charging but even then it will be at wholesale prices, in other words ONLY the cost of the additional capacity with plenty of advanced warning.
I envision a better quality of editing tool, one that provides a broader spectrum of formatting than the current offerings and includes spell checking or at the least allows for the browser-based spell checkers in Firefox and Chrome to work properly. Specifically I would like to see greater format fidelity from the current offerings of WYSIWYG Editor plugins, specifically the layout that is accomplished following the completed document. The mission is to promote a more engaged level of discourse with more energy, encourage commitment to a more extended expression of ideas, and hopefully a mindfulness evidenced by depth and sagacity of thought. I want to also provision MyBB with the option for greater spontaneity via XMPP Chat but we'll get to that later here.
To achieve these goals I suggest one of two possibilities:
The Infamous Google Doc Plugin
Using Shade's MyGoogle+ Connect plugin to gain both access to MyBB and pass-through to concurrently sign on to Google Drive we make use of some implementation or emulation of an iframe, which holds a Google Doc (Editor within Google Drive) with the output scripted to save to HTML and Post to the MyBB post container. The format quality of the live document would make the preview function superfluous so the install would disable the function and remove the button. I've had as many as 6 people brainstorming and editing the same document in Google Docs with use of the concurrent chat feature to help keep the confusion to a minimum.
http://mods.mybb.com/view/mygoogle-connect
LibreOffice Online
The alternative to the Google Doc that I suggest is to utilize the HTML5 Canvas element, using "Broadway" (an HTML5/Wayland backend for the Gtk+ development toolkit). Because it depends on WebSocket and the Canvas element, it may not work in all mainstream browsers yet although my information about compatibility is at least a year old because I haven't talked with Michael Meeks in a several of months. Oh, that's right I haven't even mentioned him yet. Well I've been in correspondence with Michael Meeks, the Novell developer who is prototyping LibreOffice Online (In your browser, think Google Doc but with more features) and asked him candidly what it would take to get LibreOffice online using their current preferred strategy and he mentioned a figure in the upper range of a couple of million $/USD. I'm not at all sure that he took me seriously but I'm fairly sure he would get religion quickly enough so to speak if I'm able to accomplish funding. In case you are having a difficult time grasping what I'm rambling about Michael has published a compelling demonstration of LibreOffice Productivity Suite performing in a Firefox browser I think there is another demo of it working in Chrome or Chromium. I'm researching whether LibreOffice documents support simultaneous collaborative editing like MS Word and Google Doc do.
Please follow the unobscured link that follows for the demonstration.
https://people.gnome.org/~michael/data/2...-demo.webm
XMPP Chat Client
To expedite collaboration and enhance esprit de corps of MyBB users I'm also proposing that someone undertake the creation of a plugin to streamline the installation of the install of the "Jappix Mini", a browser-based 1:1, One to Many (only for admins), or Group format that rests in the footer of the browser and facilitates conversation while allowing one to move from page to page within the forums more or less as a "Facebook Chat Clone" which is Jappix description not mine although it's an apt description. The key feature being that one can peruse the Bulletin Board's forums and the chat client will follow you along the same as the chat client on Facebook.
The two things that need to be done are make the install local only which means chat is restricted to only those chat clients within the MyBB's Domain. If that isn't done then there is no point in having people register and login to your Bulletin Board in the first place. Interestingly enough you have the option of local configuration but hosted by Jappix or you can setup your own BOSH server but you will need root access to do it. I've selected the Prosŏdy iM Server to be installed on top of a standard MySQL database although Prosŏdy doesn't require a SQL server to function.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosody_(software)
For my use I want a local client configuration and local hosting on my own server. Only registered members of my forums will be able to use it to log into their respective forum's domains. Without too much trouble, it should be possible for the MyBB User authentication to automagically pass through from the login to the Mini Client so that their name is already populated in the chat window as they arrive. Lastly I would like to see the appearance of the XMPP client repressed until the User login is completed. A little security through obscurity never hurt anyone.
I would ideally like to see a two part install script.
(A.) Install script for Prosŏdy that connects it to the MySQL instance with guided prompts for configuration.
(B.) Install script for Jappix Mini Client that plugs it into the MyBB software installation. When I tried this before I ran into trouble because the client was only partially recognizing the CSS style from the theme I was using (I had a dark theme with white text, the Mini ended up with white text on a white background). At the time no one at Jappix had any idea what could be causing it. I've checked their documentation since then and now there is the following warning:
Why does Jappix Mini look strange on my website?
There might be some of your website CSS code which apply to Jappix Mini too. You should use class or id selectors instead of using global element selectors (for instance, you'd better select something with a CSS class rather than use its element name, like div).
Personally I'd like to get at the insides of the Jappix module and learn how to better craft our CSS to customize the Client as an integrated part of each theme. We've got some sharp code-smithies here that I'm sure are up for the challenge to create a seamless look between the Jappix Mini and the rest of the Bulletin Board themes they create.
Warmest regards
Auriel Sylviannai Kitsu
Post Script: I've discovered that a single Prosŏdy instance can serve thousands of virtual hosts. My contribution to the MyBB Community aside from eventually working on code or any other form of useful housekeeping that is needed by the community will be the exclusive access to my Prosŏdy server to registered members of the MyBB community. Only MyBB installations will be allowed. That will be free as in both free speech and free beer, although it would be nice if people would make donations to keep the lights on and the bandwidth flowing. If you guys start to make a dent in my bandwidth then we will eventually get serious and start charging but even then it will be at wholesale prices, in other words ONLY the cost of the additional capacity with plenty of advanced warning.