Changes between Version 3 and Version 4 of BossaIntro

Timestamp:

Oct 2, 2007, 2:51:25 PM (18 years ago)

Author:

davea

Comment:

--

BossaIntro

@@ -3 +3 @@
 [[T(DesignDocument)]]
 
-BOSSA provides a software infrastructure for creating
+BOSSA is a software infrastructure for creating
 projects that use skills or knowledge of large numbers
-of volunteers, via the Internet, to accomplish a task.
+of volunteers, via the Internet, to accomplish a set of tasks.
+
+BOSSA is designed to accommodate a wide range of tasks.
+In particular:
+
+ * Tasks may be short (performed on a single web page) are may involve running separate programs and take several weeks.
+ * Tasks may be performed by a single user or by a group of cooperating users.
+ * Tasks may be automatically validated, or may require validation by comparing multiple instances.
 
 BOSSA uses [BoincBasics BOINC Basics],
 and designed to be used together with [BoltIntro BOLT].
+
+== Abstractions ==
+
+A BOSSA project has one or more ''skill apps''.
+For each skill app and each user,
+BOSSA maintains ''skill estimate'', an estimate of the user's skill at that task.
+This is maintained in the user's project-specific XML document.
+Normally it's a number in [0..1], and it's initially zero.
+
+Normally each skill app has an associated BOLT course,
+and the skill estimate is maintained on the basis of
+the user's interaction with that course.
+However, a project can maintain the skill app
+using any other mechanism.
+
+Each skill app has a dynamic set of ''skill tasks''.
+Each one has an associated XML document,
+typically describing its parameters or input files.
+
+Each skill task has a set of ''task instances''.
+Each one represents a copy of the task, either in progress or completed.
+Each instance is assigned either to a user or to a team.