These are some project idea’s I’ve been sitting on all year and have not yet started, but hope to in the new year.
1. Python CMS framework in the vein of Drupal, based on Repoze BFG
So Drupal is quite a popular community building framework, with good plugin system, and a data model which seems to work well. But I don’t think PHP is the way of the future, at least for me. I use Python for many other projects, I understand how to debug, unit test, etc. And BFG brings the really nice framework features from Zope and Plone, which makes it an ideal starting point. I’ve got a project plan for this which I’ll reveal when I get around to cutting some code.
2. Google Gadget for Bugzilla
We use Bugzilla to do service and software task tracking. It would be really swell if I had a quick list of outstanding tasks, and the ability to quickly add new one. GG works on all platforms now, so I think it is the way to go. I’d prefer this over another FF plugin too, just because it fits more naturally into this level of things.
3. Signing of public pages which you endorse.
Wikipedia isn’t the only place “anonymous” people post their ideas and understandings, but it’ll work for this example. There can be issues with trusting online source, but what if I could sign a version of a page (the content, not the entire layout). I might be an expert in the field for instance. Then someone browsing to the page can see that I endore it. If they don’t know who I am they can also see what else I endorse, and find out more about me. Then, through social networking, their friends who trust their judgement, perhaps just one a particular subject, can judge the quality of a post through the GPG/PGP web of trust.