[Librefm-discuss] Fwd: Libre.fm GSoC Project - sephiap

[Mike Sheldon]

I'm sending this on behalf of Matt Pugh (sephiap) who's having some
problems posting to the list, his message is below:

On Thu, 2011-06-09 at 15:57 +0100, sephiap wrote

> Dear Libre.fm Users,
> 
> This year I was fortunate enough to have my GSoC proposal accepted
> under gnu for the gnu-fm project (you may read the entire proposal at
> http://www.seczero.net/gsoc.txt). This message serves to inform as to
> the background of the project, current status & immediate targets and
> to open a forum regarding the proposed functionality and how it may be
> taylored in implementation to best serve the community.
> 
> The proposal encompasses a few different targets, their purposes are
> defined below:
> 
> - Expand the breadth of statistical data accessible through the site.
> That is, to provide a mechanism to create dynamic queries which allow
> the construction of data which bears more significance to the user
> than the static information currently provided.
> 
> - Overhaul listener statistics page to provide more meaningful data
> and to redesign the way this information is delivered. The use of
> jqPlot will be used to provide this functionality, delivering the data
> requested by the user in the dynamic query generation.
> 
> - Overhaul the artist statistics page to, again, provide more
> meaningful data, exposing the new functionality in dynamic query
> generation to accomplish the displaying of track vs track comparason,
> for example.
> 
> - Implement a track statistics page through the aforementioned
> functionality to compare the relative popularity, over an arbritrary
> period of time, against any other track. This feature will be
> particularly useful for artists themselves to, for example, compare
> the popularity of songs between an album released based on usage
> patterns.
> 
> - Extend external API to allow third party services  & applications to
> utilise the new statistical functionality. Where applicable, the new
> functions will conform to the naming and logical precedent set by the
> last.fm API. 
> 
> - Time permitting, utilise the extended API calls to create a
> demonstrative active widget for websites and / or WordPress
> installations which connect to a user's information dynamically
> creating content.
> 
> Current Status
> 
> The project has only just begun, this week I have been implementing
> jqPlot within the scope of the current statistics page (not
> introducing any further statistical functionality) in order to gain
> community feedback on the aesthetic and direction of the project. The
> new internal API methods are beginning to be designed to facilitate
> dynamic query generation as is the visual design of the listener,
> artist and track statistics page. 
> 
> jqPlot functionality is being encapsulated within a graph object which
> is then extended into child graph type objects which control their own
> data and visualisation options. Screenshots of current progress will
> be made available to the libre.fm group on identi.ca soon, pending
> working local data set (current issue being investigated)
> 
> Next Target
> 
> This week's target include the completion of the jqPlot implementation
> on the current statistics page and merging this into the master
> branch. Once this has been completed, the further development of the
> refined internal API structure to achieve the required functions will
> continue in earnest.
> 
> Getting The Community's Opinion
> 
> I will be providing regular updates to the libre.fm identi.ca group as
> well as this weekly email (due to be sent each Friday). The primary
> point of feedback at present  is what information does the community
> want represented? Which comparisons and utilities would be
> particularly interesting, whether acadamically or simply out of
> interest? The current scope of the dynamic query generation includes
> notions such as;
> 
> "Which tracks do I listen to most on Fridays?"
> "How does my listening habit compare to <user> over <time>?"
> 
> Much of the anticipated functionality is being derived from last.fm
> and its associated tools and services which offer similar utility, but
> this is an opportunity for the community to help shape the focus of
> the implementation from the offset.
> 
> Getting In Contact
> 
> I am eager to get as much constructive feedback as possible, if you
> have any ideas / contributions / disagreements you may contact me
> using the following methods:
> 
> IRC: sephiap on Freenode
> identi.ca: sephiap
> email: address@hidden
> 
> I look forward to hearing from you all over the next couple of months
> and will continue to keep you updated.
> 
> Matt Pugh (sephiap)
> 
> 
>