I got some more great questions this morning:<\/p>\n
\n \u201cCouldn\u2019t we just put a WeSay front-end onto FLEx (FieldWorks Language Explorer)? It uses the same underlying stuff, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Nothing is currently shared. WeSay is designed for really cheap, tough, low-wattage computers.<\/p>\n
\n \u201cOkay, it\u2019s set up for one person to type into, but what if we want 10 people all typing into the same database\u2013would it work for that?\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ok, let\u2019s back up. FLEx does allow you to very cleanly keep one database and share it over a LAN. However, while it does support export and import, no attempt is made at automatic merging or to guarantee round-trip-ability. So what do I do if we\u2019re NOT all on a local network? FLEx will eventually support the (far more common) disconnected scenario (I will probably write the merge code needed for the basics).<\/p>\n
WeSay has the reverse priority. We claim that if you can work disconnected, then you can always merge. And since these are both conceptually-modeled systems (not just ones that guess at backslash codes), merging isn\u2019t hard. Our internal database system (db4o<\/strong>) actually does allow multi-user, networking access, but we think we should get the more flexible system (disconnected) going first.<\/p>\n
So, for example, if FLEx were part of the project, then you\u2019d merge the words collected with WeSay into the master FLEx db, using LIFT interchange files. I did a proof-of-concept with that earlier; it will need more work. From there, you could save the merged lexicon as LIFT or Standard Format, if you wanted to.<\/p>\n
Not using FLEx? Someone is also going to write LIFT merger, and of course LIFT-to-Toolbox<\/a> conversion should become commonplace. So if you wanted to stay in Toolbox land, you\u2019d do this: merge the LIFT files from each WeSay user, then use a tool to convert that to Standard Format.<\/p>\n
To summarize: our near term goal is to use LIFT interchange files to go to\/from FLEx, and, through a converter, to\/from Toolbox. Sound wrong-headed? Leave a comment and tell us so.<\/p>\n