[gfsd] RSS and other Quagga comments

[Aaron S. Hawley]

Janet,

It was brought to my attention that my HTML changes to the Free Software
Directory committed to Quagga's CVS will most likely break Nic Ferrier's
RSS feed of the latest Directory updates
<http://www.gnu.org/rss/quagga.rss>.  Thanks again to Nic for passing me a
note that his RSS feed was indeed in production (though not yet linked
to)--something I was not otherwise aware of.  Fortunately, my submissions
haven't been brought over to the main GNU/FSF web server yet, so it is yet
to actually break Nic's RSS feed.

We would, however, also be interested in plugging in my dynamic
(implemented in python, though it could be generated nightly as a static
file, too) RSS feed, so as to remove the dependency of the RSS feed on the
HTML output by the Directory.

Also, Nic has added some "news items" to Quagga's Savannah Project
<http://sv.gnu.org/projects/gnulist> that need to be approved by a project
admin.  And it would be nice to have a mailing list (this one?) associated
with the project.

Also, Nic and I have a general suggestion related to the Quaaga web
infrastructre, concerning making additions to the Directory's web
services.  When we wish to add an RSS feed, a (much wanted) package
submission form, or any other web script to Quagga, changes need to be
made to the GNU/FSF web server's Apache configuration file, which--for
obvious reasons--isn't in Quagga's CVS just mention in the README.
Perhaps the Apache configuration information relevant to Quagga could be
placed in a file in Quagga's CVS that is also "included" by the GNU/FSF
web server's configuration file.  There are obviously potential security
issues that should be dealt with here, but it would be nice for us to
control the Directory's Apache settings so that Quagga fixes and
improvements could be made easily.

In review,
 - I have changes to the FSD HTML code and load-database code that
need to be brought over
 - we'd like to plug in RSS
 - and we'd like to have a solution that makes it easy for the Directory
site (Quagga) to grow.
 - All of which needs to be tested.  No reason bringing down a Directory
that is otherwise functional and continually updated.

Is there anything else Nic?

If you need any more information, Janet, let us know.

We don't mean to start an insurrection with the Directory, so take your
time to figure some of these long-term questions and solutions, which--as
long term solutions go--do take some time.

Hope you're well.
Have a good weekend.
/a