Couple of Items for thought

Couple of items for thought :

1. I have a webservices based contact server that I would be interested
in donating/integrating with OO.  It is not currently available for
download, but I believe that I can get it through the IP office and out
onto the opensource market if anyone is interested.  I am unsure if
webservices is an approach you are considering  for some of this
groupware.  Basically it is a 100% java ws (using tomcat and axis) and
allows for full contact information to be stored, search, updated, etc. 
There are no limits to the number of records (where it makes sense, such
as in addresses, phone numbers, etc) and types of those same items are
definable (ie, fax, home, office, cel phones, etc).   It also allows for
such features as user and group permissions to read and write (at the
level of a field) contact records.  Additionally for all of those
individuals that are lucky enough to have assistants type this
informaiton in for them, it allows for delegation (proxy ownership). 
There is currently only a minimal (not fully functioning for all 
users) php (with XML and SOAP) based interface.

2.  In addition to this contact service, I have interest in a particular
feature set.  I am not sure if this would be included in what others
call "groupware" but in this case I do nonetheless.  I have the need to
establish a collaborative writing environment.  Being involve in
research we often have dozens of people furiously writing away until the
last minute to fulfill the writing needs for grant deadlines (much like
I am doing now....although I appear to be procrastinating writing this
email).  This creates a document versioning nightmare for the final
editors.  I am looking for a solution to this problem.  While I realize
that there is versioning support within OO, it doesn't seem to meet my
needs very well (networked document, multiple users, granular
checkout).  I would like to see if there is any interest in adding 
(or changing) functionality to allow for a versioning document
repository.  

It would work something along the lines of:

        1. User retrieves document from repository.  The document is
readonly.
        2. The user selects a block of the document, right clicks, and
chooses "checkout".
        3.  The document repository notifies the other user's office
clients that that section has been checked out, and blocks write access
to that section.
        4.  Changes are made, and the text is checked back in
(committed) or discarded (and corresponding unlocked on the other
clients)
        5.  Repeat process.

Some notes about this.  Number 2, could be done as automatically
checking out a paragraph or other logical unit at a time.  Offline work
should be allowed, with warnings to the user who works offline or on
checked out code that they will be responsible for merging at checkin if
they proceed.  

I've put more thougt into this than what I've listed, however this email
isn't meant to be a proposal, but rather a point of discussion.  If
someone would like further information regarding either of these items,
let me know.  I am willing to contribute in anyway possible (including
code).   However, "free" time is somewhat limited.  The second item
above directly relates to current needs at my place of business and
would therefor potentially be able to donate some of my work time to
that part of the project and may consider doing some of this anyway. 
However, I don't have much (read any real other than tutorial)
experience with developing code for OO and am looking for input to the
above item and suggestions for how to implement it in OO.

Thanks for taking the time to read this overly long winded email and
equally long winded remark,

Dustin Machi