GnuCash design / new features

[Brian Rose]

Hi all,

> 
> 1. OSX already has GnuCash via X11 and Fink (there could be licence problems 
> with a native Cocoa port and it is not being considered).

Ok.
> 2. KDE can run GnuCash if the Gnome libraries are installed. KDE also has it's 
> own alternatives to GnuCash.

Just a thought.

> 3. The web page idea is FAR more difficult than you may imagine and NONE of 
> the work above even comes close to a HTML/PHP/Perl front end. I've done work 
> on QSF (XML) which *could* be used to render GnuCash (and other QOF) data as 
> HTML for purposes of data mining and customised reports but that's definitely 
> as far as it goes.

Hmm, I was hoping it would be possible to use 
Gnucash via the desktop for one user
and via a webpage for another user 
simultaneously--maybe that is a longer way off than
I thought.

> 2. Mozilla designed for plugins from the very earliest stages, it's not easy 
> to build a system into an existing program.

True.

> 3. Plugins can only go so far and still won't meet everyone's needs. IMHO, it 
> is better to provide easier, more robust access to the data itself and let 
> users handle it in Perl or PHP, Python or whatever. QSF is a flavour of XML 
> that has a Schema and is intended to provide this simple and flexible data 
> access.
> 


> http://www.data-freedom.org/

Well, the site explains the theory pretty well. 
However, I am throwing out ideas for
consideration to make Gnucash "tasty" to an 
enduser/small business owner who isn't
a Linux guy--e.g., avoids the command-line and 
doesn't want to code.

> What functionality do you want in your module?

Well, for one it would be really awesome if the 
invoice template was similar to iBiz,
http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibiz/index.html . My 
wife uses iBiz. I don't like a lot of it--(it
is to click-happy for me), however the invoice 
template creator is pretty good. It uses a
"web template" like method of specifying where 
everything goes for an invoice template.
Highly flexible, but using a GUI and a template 
creator.


> 
>>It seems very daunting 
>>and time consuming.
> 
> 
> There's no escaping that one. Developing in gnucash could quite easily consume 
> 150% of your available time. The discipline to control that must come from 
> you, as must the motivation to persist.
> 
> 
Most any project is similar that way, isn't it?

> So I guess it depends on your motivation, your perspective and your "itch".
...
  We each need our own "itch" for motivation.
> 
> Are you happier in GUI development or CLI or both?
> 
Web dev and backend stuff is where I am most 
comfortable.

> What's your itch?
> 
Well, I am not sure other than above on invoices 
and what others have mentioned in
this thread.

My primary purpose is speaking up is because I 
want to help enable more productivity
and more small business users and hence a better, 
stronger Gnucash.

Derek mentioned that there were enough web 
programmers. Is there a need for people
to port documentation from the dev list and 
doxygen to the web to help enable new
programmers with Gnucash to be productive more 
quickly?

Sincerely,
Brian

-- 
Contagious Design!
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Brian Rose .  web programmer
(604)-630-2426 . brianATcontagiousdesignDOTnet