[BioPython] The biopython.org web site

[Johann Visagie]

I vaguely remember that Gary and I volunteered to look into re-inventing the
biopython.org site during the Biopython BoF at BOSC.  We must've been under
the influence of severe jetlag at the time.  :-)

At the time my poorly enunciated idea was that we should look into using Zope
for such a site.  My ideas around this are still not fully formed, but here
are some of the reasoning behind it:

- Zope and Python have a lot to offer each other - in the great bit world Out
  There, Zope is considered to be Python's killer app.  And then some.

- I know a bit of Zope mojo (though I'm not a guru by any means) and I think
  it's a really, really cool thing.  :-)

- Zope makes it simple for multiple people to maintain a site - multiple
  hierarchical levels of access are supported.

- We'll be able to add "member" areas to the site where (similar to zope.org)
  individual Biopython users / developers can do their own thing unimpeded.
  E.g. if the ZWiki Zope product is installed on the server, a site member
  will be able to "drop" as many Wiki objects as he wants into his own pages,
  thereby creating Wiki discussion forums.  Ditto for the Squishdot product
  (a Slashdot clone), etc.  From recent discussion it seems that even the
  Mailman MLM might become a Zope product at some future date.  Imagine if a
  user can create a mailing list by simply creating an instance of a Mailman
  object on one of his pages.  ZCatalog can be deployed over the entire site
  as search engine, or members can implement individual ZCatalog instances to
  index (parts of) their member areas according to their own parameters.
  Etc., etc., for all the myriad Zope products already available.  In
  summary, Zope is shaping up to become the ulimate online collaboration
  meta-tool, though it might not always be for the feint of heart (yet).

And here's the kicker:

- Existing Python modules can be imported into Zope's namespace and be
  exposed to the Web.  With a little bit of wrapping, it may eventually be
  possible to build a set of reusable "web widgets" to wrap Biopython
  objects.  This is still a very vaguely formed idea, but it is where I think
  I would like to work towards, eventually.  It would mean that the site
  could actually contribute towards the Biopython project in a more concrete
  manner than just providing PR.

Now firstly...  do we have the go-ahead to start spending some time on this?
Jeff?  :-)

And secondly, any further ideas, comments, etc. would be much appreciated.
As I said above, many of my ideas are still vague and could use some
formative discussion.  Any other features anyone thinks would be cool?
Anyone think we're bounding off in the wrong direction and would rather
volunteer in our stead?  :-)

It'll probably be about a week before Gary and I have time to put our heads
together on this... so... fire away.  I'd like to have a concrete plan in
mind when (if?) I start working.

Gary is, I believe, already working on an organisational site map and some
designs in his spare time.

Yours in jetlaggedness,
-- Johann