From stuart at gathman.org  Sat Dec 10 14:28:05 2005
From: stuart at gathman.org (Stuart D. Gathman)
Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2005 14:28:05 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Verba] Ad Fontes Verba project
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0512101426060.16587-100000@fairfax.gathman.org>

This mailing list is for the Ad Fontes computing club project.  At
present, the project goal is to create an online Latin dictionary with the
ability to fully decline/conjugate any word it knows.  A PalmOS version is
also envisioned.

We will approach the project like an open-source project.  I will serve as 
the project leader.  The main responsibility of the project leader is to 
divide the project into tasks.  Each member then selects tasks to work on 
appropriate to their interest and ability.

Here are some tasks for the Verba project:

1. propose syntax for word data in source form
2. enter or otherwise obtain word data for the dictionary in source form
3. propose binary data structures for the dictionary.
4. utility to read word data in source form and create dictionary in
   binary form
5. user interface to provide display and search of the word data
  5a PalmOS C applet
  5b Java web Applet

I have thought of two data structures for the dictionary:

1. master: stem,type
   types: type,part,suffix
   This requires special types for irregular words.

2. After more thought, I propose a simpler scheme: 
   master: id,part,word  -  with key by word,part.  The dictionary will
   use leading duplicate compression.  This will highly compress regular
   words, but still handle irregular words in the same way.
   We can take advantage of regular declensions in the source data format.

I have created a CVS repository on my home system accessible to team members
via SSH.  When we have 1 or more files ready to check in, I will give team
members their SSH password and show them how to checkout/checkin the project
code directory tree. 

Until then, include initial submissions as an attachment in email to this list.
Please attach the source files directly, not in a ZIP or other archive.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.





From stuart at gathman.org  Sun Dec 18 00:25:41 2005
From: stuart at gathman.org (Stuart D. Gathman)
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 00:25:41 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Verba] Re: CVS Help
In-Reply-To: <CCD51595-8324-4847-BD48-6DA11CDC442A@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0512180019520.21938-100000@fairfax.gathman.org>

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005, Taylor Solomon wrote:

> I can't remember how to check out data from the cvs. could you remind  
> me?

Short answer:

$ CVSROOT=taylor at fairfax.gathman.org:/work/cvs cvs co verba

But you have already done this on your Mac Mini.  You should not
do it again unless you deleted your working directory.

Perhaps you wanted to check for any changes I might have made 
(none yet):

$ cd verba
$ cvs update

Long answer:

http://cvsbook.red-bean.com/cvsbook.html

has more than you wanted to know about CVS.

I am replying to the list.  Newcomers to the project can look in the 
archives to answer questions.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.



From stuart at gathman.org  Sun Dec 25 00:22:01 2005
From: stuart at gathman.org (Stuart D. Gathman)
Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2005 00:22:01 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Verba] Computer Club Changes
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0512242259170.14206-100000@fairfax.gathman.org>

Taylor will not be at computer club on Wednesday, but will be
participating via email.  On the other hand, Rebecca and perhaps Jillian
will be coming to the club.  I will do my best to resurrect one of the PC
carcasses in our den to take to school.  Just when I had it running, the
CPU fan froze.  Sigh.  It might also be possible to use one of the Ad
Fontes computers during club.

Send mail to verba at gathman.org, and it will reach everyone on the list.
You can see who is currently on the list, and sign up at

http://gathman.org/mailman/listinfo/verba

I don't know Jillian's email (or even if I spelled her name right), so
she will have to sign up herself.

It turns out that all students have no programming experience, so we will 
have to shift our emphasis to learning the basics.  We'll still use CVS to 
access our shared project when we are able to write some code.  While Taylor
has started learning C, I will be using Python as a first language.  

In order to work on programs, you will need to install Python
and a Code Editor on your computer (if it doesn't already have those things).
Would everyone please tell me what kind of computer you have at home, if any.
I can then tell you what you what you need to install.

Ideally, we want everyone to be able to work on their programming 
projects independently, without waiting to share a computer at AdFontes.
Taylor has a Mac Mini at home, which is cool.  (I have some "Oh so 1995"
discarded PCs running LTSP and a 2001 vintage $400 Dell server running Linux
at home.)

Windows will also run Python.  If you are sharing your parents computer,
writing programs in Python is relatively safe.  You are no more likely to
trash their important files than when fooling around with COMMAND or
Windows Explorer.  If they are using Windows XP security features, they
can give you a login that is protected from doing any damage
(unfortunately, most home users have to turn off the security features
because many applications are braindead and will only run in admin mode).

If you have no computer at home, I might bring in some PC carcases and
we can shift to a hardware focus and try to get a working PC :-)  But
I don't have any spare monitors.

I need some help here, students.  I have no idea how quickly you will pick this
up.  You are at an age where your logical powers are just kicking into
high gear.  Or maybe yours kicked in at age 10, and adults seem rather slow.
I don't know you, and this is supposed to be fun - which means we want to
create "flow".  Too easy is boring, too hard is frustrating.  We will start
with an easy tutorial designed for ages 12 - 15, "Live Wires" (creating by a
Chistian summer camp in UK).  If this is too easy and boring, we will skip over
to the adult tutorial, "How to Think Like a Computer Scientist".  There is no
problem with each student doing their own tutorial (and there are more to
choose from).

http://www.livewires.org.uk/python/
http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/

==== Editing Code ====

Most word processors are designed for natural languages.  Computers are 
given instructions in formal languages, as described Chapter 1 of 
"How to Think Like a Computer Scientist":

http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/chap01.htm

Editors designed for computer languages generally use a fixed width font.
There are some modern ideas to change this.  Some of them are even good
ideas (e.g. Literate Programming).  You will need to learn how to use
a programming editor.  You can find a selection with Python specific
features here:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonEditors

I use the Vim editor.  It has this totally funky command and data mode
that is completely different from any word processor you may have used.
But it is amazingly efficient.  Touch typists appreciate not having their
fingers leave the keyboard for miscellaneous function/arrow keys and/or
mouse clicks.  However, I will be glad to help install and/or select
your preference (e.g. one that works more like a word processor).

If you want to try vim, it works on Mac OSX, Windows, and Unix/Linux.

http://www.vim.org

==== Installing Python ====

http://www.python.org/download/

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.





From monkeybec at cox.net  Sun Dec 25 14:00:25 2005
From: monkeybec at cox.net (Rebecca Chenette)
Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2005 14:00:25 -0500
Subject: [Verba] hello!
Message-ID: <001e01c60985$770bf310$7001a8c0@CPQ2003>

Hi...I wanted to "post to this list".....

This is Rebecca  Chenette...my email is monkeybec at cox.net. and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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From tsgoldsun1 at gmail.com  Sun Dec 25 16:23:34 2005
From: tsgoldsun1 at gmail.com (Taylor Solomon)
Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2005 16:23:34 -0500
Subject: [Verba] School
Message-ID: <ac4ce4350512251323t3b03c175qef60da6c0a3d1652@mail.gmail.com>

hey hey hey Hows it going? This is Taylor.

tsoldsun1 at gmail.com is my email.

i was wondering if anyone wantd to get together maybe on like tuesdays at
lunch to discuss python and the project. It would make sense if the students
learned together, so mayb we could read a chapter in the learning program
and discuss it on tuesdays

Please post if you think this is efficient and a good idea.

Taylor Solomon
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From monkeybec at cox.net  Sun Dec 25 17:10:31 2005
From: monkeybec at cox.net (Rebecca Chenette)
Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2005 17:10:31 -0500
Subject: [Verba] School
References: <ac4ce4350512251323t3b03c175qef60da6c0a3d1652@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <001801c609a0$05b875b0$7001a8c0@CPQ2003>

  What is python? what is the learning program?  I don't think working at lunch on teusdays would be a bad idea. 
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Taylor Solomon 
    To: verba at gathman.org 
    Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2005 4:23 PM
    Subject: [Verba] School


    hey hey hey Hows it going? This is Taylor. 

    tsoldsun1 at gmail.com is my email. 

    i was wondering if anyone wantd to get together maybe on like tuesdays at lunch to discuss python and the project. It would make sense if the students learned together, so mayb we could read a chapter in the learning program and discuss it on tuesdays 

    Please post if you think this is efficient and a good idea.

    Taylor Solomon
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From stuart at gathman.org  Tue Dec 27 00:15:03 2005
From: stuart at gathman.org (Stuart D. Gathman)
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2005 00:15:03 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Verba] School
In-Reply-To: <001801c609a0$05b875b0$7001a8c0@CPQ2003>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0512270011290.9750-100000@fairfax.gathman.org>

On Sun, 25 Dec 2005, Rebecca Chenette wrote:

>   What is python? what is the learning program?  I don't think working at
>   lunch on teusdays would be a bad idea.  

The "learning program" is the tutorial I mentioned.  The LiveWires
tutorial needs you to install the livewires package in addition to Python, and
PyGame for the game tutorials.  The "How to Think" tutorial needs
only Python.  Let me know if you need help installing.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.