• New Filebase idea / SBBS4

    From Deepthaw@VERT to All on Sat Oct 31 15:33:00 2020
    I'm sure people have seen me go on about this idea before, but I wanted to get it out there again - possibly as a long-term idea for Synchronet.

    Rather than the traditional directory/area structure, I'd like to see a tag-based filebase.

    Instead of files being displayed in discrete directories or areas, a file could have an arbitrary number of single word tags that describe it.

    Users could search by these tags to locate files, and sysops could build "virtual" folders based on tag searches to present popular groupings of files to users.

    Example:

    Telix 3.22 might have the msdos, communications tags.
    Synchronet for linux would have the sbbs,server,bbs,linux tags.
    SyncTERM would have the communications,windows,sbbs,telnet tags.

    Users could search by any combination of tags, or use -tag to exclude a given tag.

    A sysop may create a virtual file directory called "Communications Programs" which includes all files with the communications tag. That would result in Telix and SyncTERM both showing up in that virtual folder.

    Another virtual directory could be "Synchronet" using the sbbs tag. In that case, Synchronet and SyncTERM would both showup. Even though SyncTERM was in both virtual directories, it only exists once on disk.

    Issues:
    How do sysops get tags on files?
    That would be a fair amount of work. You'd have to do it by hand, or have scripts that automatically assigned tags based on the directories they were in when you migrated or imported an existing filebase. When files were uploaded by users, they'd list proposed tags, which the sysop could then accept/modify when they accept the upload.

    Another option might be a script that scans all the file_id.diz descriptions, then uses the most common words (excluding the, an, etc.) to build a database of recommended tags.

    What about ftp?
    This one's more tricky. Since the files wouldn't exist in a traditional file structure, ftp would be harder to manage. The options would be:
    A) FileDB doesn't support ftp. You either download from the BBS or the website presents the file as the result of a search.
    B) A specialized ftp server is written which generates dynamic directories based on tags. Once you enter a "directory" an ls would return all files containing that tag. Tags belonging to files within those results would appear as subdirectories. From our example below, this means a user could access telix in /msdos/communications, /communications/msdos, /msdos, or /communications.

    What else could you do?
    You could use tags to assign arbitrary categories in a way. You might have *, **, ***, **** tags that double as ratings. Authors could be attached as a tag with their name (digitalman tag, g00r00 tag, etc.) New uploads would have the new tag, and show up automatically in a search for them. They'd also have the normal tags, so they'd already showup in their respective "directories." You could mimic the traditional directory structure using tags and creating virtual folders.

    Why? This sounds like a lot of work.
    Because. More seriously, many sysops (such as myself) enjoy being able to host large collections of vintage software/roms, scene music modules, etc. These easily number in the thousands, and the traditional navigation structure can make it tedious to browse or search for contents. The tag system would naturally lend itself to a sqlite or MySQL/MariaDB database, which means searches and storage would be relatively fast.

    Thoughts?

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  • From Digital Man@VERT to Deepthaw on Sat Oct 31 16:09:00 2020
    Re: New Filebase idea / SBBS4 feature idea
    By: Deepthaw to All on Sat Oct 31 2020 07:33 pm

    I'm sure people have seen me go on about this idea before, but I wanted to get it out there again - possibly as a long-term idea for Synchronet.

    Rather than the traditional directory/area structure, I'd like to see a tag-based filebase.

    The new file base will support tags for files (just as the current message base supports tags for messages). From there, it should be possible to create virtual directories/collections or whatever (in JS, most likely).
    --
    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #8:
    Synchronet was originally intended as a replacement for WWIV BBS software. Norco, CA WX: 74.8øF, 27.0% humidity, 0 mph SSW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs ---
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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Deepthaw on Sat Oct 31 17:57:00 2020
    Re: New Filebase idea / SBBS4 feature idea
    By: Deepthaw to All on Sat Oct 31 2020 07:33 pm

    I'm sure people have seen me go on about this idea before, but I wanted to get it out there again - possibly as a long-term idea for Synchronet.

    Rather than the traditional directory/area structure, I'd like to see a tag-based filebase.

    Instead of files being displayed in discrete directories or areas, a file


    I like the idea of content tags. it's a good idea. BUT... sysops should be organizing files into different subs that would make content tags moot.

    i do NOT agree with your 'instead of' idea.
    ---
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  • From The Millionaire@VERT to Deepthaw on Sun Nov 1 07:58:00 2020
    I'm sure people have seen me go on about this idea before, but I wanted to get it out there again - possibly as a long-term idea for Synchronet.

    Rather than the traditional directory/area structure, I'd like to see a tag-based filebase.

    Instead of files being displayed in discrete directories or areas, a file could have an arbitrary number of single word tags that describe it.

    Users could search by these tags to locate files, and sysops could build "virtual" folders based on tag searches to present popular groupings of files to users.

    Example:

    Telix 3.22 might have the msdos, communications tags.
    Synchronet for linux would have the sbbs,server,bbs,linux tags.
    SyncTERM would have the communications,windows,sbbs,telnet tags.

    Users could search by any combination of tags, or use -tag to exclude a given tag.

    A sysop may create a virtual file directory called "Communications Programs" which includes all files with the communications tag. That would result in Telix and SyncTERM both showing up in that virtual folder.

    Another virtual directory could be "Synchronet" using the sbbs tag. In that case, Synchronet and SyncTERM would both showup. Even though SyncTERM was in both virtual directories, it only exists once on disk.

    Issues:
    How do sysops get tags on files?
    That would be a fair amount of work. You'd have to do it by hand, or have scripts that automatically assigned tags based on the directories they were in when you migrated or imported an existing filebase. When files were uploaded by users, they'd list proposed tags, which the sysop could then accept/modify when they accept the upload.

    Another option might be a script that scans all the file_id.diz descriptions, then uses the most common words (excluding the, an, etc.) to build a database of recommended tags.

    What about ftp?
    This one's more tricky. Since the files wouldn't exist in a traditional file structure, ftp would be harder to manage. The options would be:
    A) FileDB doesn't support ftp. You either download from the BBS or the website presents the file as the result of a search.
    B) A specialized ftp server is written which generates dynamic directories based on tags. Once you enter a "directory" an ls would return all files containing that tag. Tags belonging to files within those results would appear as subdirectories. From our example below, this means a user could access telix in /msdos/communications, /communications/msdos, /msdos, or /communications.

    What else could you do?
    You could use tags to assign arbitrary categories in a way. You might have *, **, ***, **** tags that double as ratings. Authors could be attached as a tag with their name (digitalman tag, g00r00 tag, etc.) New uploads would have the new tag, and show up automatically in a search for them. They'd also have the normal tags, so they'd already showup in their respective "directories." You could mimic the traditional directory structure using tags and creating virtual folders.

    Why? This sounds like a lot of work.
    Because. More seriously, many sysops (such as myself) enjoy being able to host large collections of vintage software/roms, scene music modules, etc. These easily number in the thousands, and the traditional navigation structure can make it tedious to browse or search for contents. The tag system would naturally lend itself to a sqlite or MySQL/MariaDB database, which means searches and storage would be relatively fast.

    Thoughts?


    There is no SBBS 4 according to DM.

    $ The Millionaire $

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    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Ragnarok@VERT/DOCKSUD to Deepthaw on Mon Nov 2 07:51:00 2020
    El 31/10/20 a las 23:33, Deepthaw escribi¢:
    I'm sure people have seen me go on about this idea before, but I wanted to get it out there again - possibly as a long-term idea for Synchronet.

    Rather than the traditional directory/area structure, I'd like to see a tag-based filebase.

    Instead of files being displayed in discrete directories or areas, a file could have an arbitrary number of single word tags that describe it.

    Users could search by these tags to locate files, and sysops could build "virtual" folders based on tag searches to present popular groupings of files to users.

    Example:

    Telix 3.22 might have the msdos, communications tags.
    Synchronet for linux would have the sbbs,server,bbs,linux tags.
    SyncTERM would have the communications,windows,sbbs,telnet tags.


    taggeg filessystem are cool, it can be show as "virtual folders"

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