Bug#89114: ITP: kascade - Client for Kascade, a distributed Open directory search-engine

[Wouter de Vries <swamp@kermy.nl>]

Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist

Package: kascade
License: GPL
URL: http://www.kascade.org/

Kascade can be downloaded from http://www.kascade.org and is distributed
under the GPL. Kascade is in need of supporters. Please check it out and
see if you can help.


Wouter

_long_ Description: 

Kascade is a novel type of search-engine, based on the Open directory
principle. This means that anyone can structure a small part of the 
information on the internet, corresponding to their personal interests 
or expertise. The resulting parts are placed in a large categorical 
structure that others can browse to search for information. Examples 
of Open Directory initiatives are Dmoz and Infomarker.

 In contrast with other Open Directory initiatives, though, the parts 
that people maintain now reside on their own server. What results is 
a distributed Open Directory! As with Gnutella, though, there are no 
fixed central servers.  This implies that anyone can start a new 
structure. Actually any piece can be easily replaced, hopefully leading 
to competitive improvement. The distributed nature and lack of central 
control facilities make for a system immune to company or government 
control, much like Gnutella and the Internet itself.

 Kascade directories are based on a specially developed file format, 
called DII. To browse Kascade directories consisting of DII files, a 
special browser has been created, called the Kascade client. Its visual 
size is as small as the average ICQ client. When a user has found what 
seems to be an interesting web page, the client fires up a web browser 
to view the page. It also has a built-in IRC client that enables users 
to chat with each other anywhere in a directory! This package contains 
the Kascade client.

 The DII file format features aspects comparable to 'components' and 
'functions' in programming languages, introducing 'abstraction' and thus 
structure 'reuse' into the Open Directory world. These components and 
functions themselves may even be distributed! Not less useful, so-called 
'queries' may be defined into parts, that query the same and/or other 
parts, and create new local hierarchical structures in real-time (as 
users browse a directory.) DII queries, functions and components can 
be used to easily create multiple search paths to the same information 
item.


thanks for reading :)