Votorola Changes
See also the release downloads. Formal releases are currently infrequent. For the complete
revision history, see the source repository.
0.2.3 alpha-two 2011-06
Multi-area support was added to the pollwiki. Configuration of polling
divisions was moved from the voter-server to the wiki. The wiki now serves
as a user editable database for the voting network. The voter registry was
rationalized into a trust server and a front end streetwiki. A
proof-of-concept demonstration of vote mirroring was coded. A difference
bridge was added for cross-draft patching. An early prototype of a network
UI was added as "Crossforum Theatre". Draft pointers were added in partial
implementation of free-range drafting, enabling drafters to work from
separate wikis.
0.2.2 2009-10
A votespace browser was added to the web interface. It features navigable
cascades, count totals and subtotals, voting controls, and links to the
pollwiki. Activity events were removed from the home page to a dedicated
activity page. The presentation of voting events was improved. Persistent
login by cookies was added. User control of OpenID bindings was improved.
The format of poll names was standardized in the vote-server and pollwiki.
The vote-server now accepts pollwiki usernames as voter identifiers. The UI
was translated to German.
A null pointer in the district list of polls was fixed. An assertion bug
was corrected in "volist", the list compiler. Misbehaviour of "volist" and
"vocount" on the 31st of the month was corrected. Command line output of
"vocount" was improved for clarity.
Count compatibility with previous releases is broken. Any count mounted by
"vocount" under a previous release may be unreadable under this one.
0.2.1 2009-07
The vote-server was coupled with a pollwiki. Voters may use the pollwiki to
write legislative proposals and other position drafts, while using the
vote-server to vote them up. A link to the help page was added to the top of
all pages in the web interface. Minor bugs in the command line, web and
mail interfaces were corrected.
0.2.0 2009-05
The system manual was redacted. It now covers both design and
administration. Administrative setup of local sites was simplified.
Instructions for users were integrated into the web interface. Page
customization was moved to client side scripts. Examples of configuration
are now bundled with each release.
Man pages were removed. The command line is now documented in the manual
proper. Input piping was added to the 'voter' command shell. Report and
status actions were added to the 'volist' and 'vocount' compilers.
Issue categorization was added to polls. Limitations on the number of
simultaneous polls were removed. A test mode was added to the vote-server,
allowing for unauthenticated access during tests and demonstrations.
0.1.12 alpha-one 2008-12
The underlying theory of the system design was documented. Details of the
peer-to-peer voting mechanism were defined. Its functional interfaces with
society were explained, including its role as a primary electoral system;
its effect on the delegation of executive power; and its interplay with
collaborative media in the drafting of consensus norms, such as laws, plans
and policies.
0.1.11 9
Divisional schemes were introduced, enabling the administrator to define
different methods of dividing a deployment area for polling purposes. Item
"setSchemeConfigurationPath" was added to the district configuration
(district.js).
Navigation was overhauled in the web interface. Short-cuts were added for
navigating directly to specific polls and voters. A help page was added
for posting user instructions. Configuration hooks were introduced to
enable the customizing of page content and styling. Function "initWeb" was
added to the web configuration (web.js).
A bug affecting auto-creation of database schemas was fixed. A bug
affecting pre-registration of other voters was fixed.
0.1.10 7
Doubt signaling was implemented as an adjunct to the trust network, serving
to indicate suspicious voter registrations. The commands "doubt" and
"undoubt" were added to the user interface, enabling mail users to extend
doubt signals. A 'note' attribute was added to the register, enabling doubted
registrants to respond.
Controls and views of the overall trust network were added to the web
interface. Cumulative counts of doubt signals were added to the voter list,
providing web users with an overview of problem neighbourhoods, and enabling
them to zero in on specific, dubious registrations.
A cache was added to relieve the load on remote geocoding services. Item
"geocodeDatabase" was added to the vote-server configuration (pollserver.js),
for configuring the cache's database. Constraints on the length of user
input were tightened, closing several security holes. A theory outline was
drafted, predicting the rough fit of Votorola in society.
List compatibility with previous releases is broken. Any voter list
mounted by "volist" under a previous release may be unreadable under this
one.
0.1.9 6
A viewer for the voter list was added to the web interface. Users may
browse the list at various scales, ranging from the whole electoral
district, down to its component neighbourhoods. Minor bugs were corrected
in the web interface.
The script "list.js" was added for configuring the compilation and indexing
of the voter list. A default is provided under votorola/a/register/, please
copy it to your register's service directory.
List compatibility with previous releases is broken. Any voter list
mounted by "volist" under a previous release may be unreadable under this
one.
0.1.8 6
Poll results were added to the web interface. Voter pre-registration of
new candidates was added, similar to the same feature in the mail interface.
User's guides were drafted for both Web and mail.
Count compatibility with previous releases is broken. Any count mounted by
"vocount" under a previous release may be unreadable under this one.
0.1.7 6
Tabbed navigation was added to the web interface. Electoral districts were
formalized, and are now separately configurable for each poll. Support
for relative file paths was added to the modular inclusion facility
(_voIncluder) for use in configuration scripts. Reply localization and
bounce handling bugs were corrected in the mail interface.
0.1.6 5
User authentication was added to the web interface. Users have the choice
of either OpenID or email authentication. Rate limits were imposed on
messages sent from the mail interface, in order to prevent mail loops or
deliberate abuse.
Item "userDatabase" was added to the vote-server configuration (pollserver.js).
Its purpose is to configure the database in which users' preferences and
other settings are stored.
Item "mailTransferService" was added to the web configuration (web.js). Its
purpose is to configure the transmission of email authentication messages.
By default, messages are transmitted via the localhost mail server.
0.1.5 5
Voter registration pages were added to the web interface. Summary
descriptions of the vote-server and its services were added to both
the Web and mail interfaces.
Items "setJurisdictionName" and "setShortJurisdictionName" were renamed in
the vote-server configuration to "setDistrictName" and "setShortDistrictName".
Please modify your pollserver.js.
The fallback cache directory for the web interface was relocated to a
subdirectory named after the vote-server. Persistence of the web interface's
activity window will be lost (at least under Tomcat), unless you shut down
the interface; manually move the serial file (web-activity-list.serial) to
the new location; and restart.
0.1.4 5
An activity window was added to the web interface, providing voters with a
view of recent electoral activity. Instructions for the initial setup of a
deployment area were completed in the administrator's manual.
The default location of the snapshot output store (files for mounted counts
and voter lists) was moved from /var/cache to /tmp. The general location of
cache files is now configured per vote-server, set by "setCacheDirectoryPath"
in your pollserver.js.
0.1.3 5
An "alter" facility was added to the user interface (since removed from the
the Web). It enables the user to assume the identity of other users (with
limited privileges), in order to see who they are voting, how they are
registered, and so on. The naming of voter services was simplified on
the administrative side.
0.1.2 4
The visualization of vote traces in the user interface was improved.
Configuration was overhauled. Voter services are now configured by
scripts (JavaScript), instead of by XML. A test interpreter "voscript" was
added to the command line interface, for offline smoke testing of the
configuration.
0.1.1 4
A web interface was added for voters. A relaying loophole was closed in the
mail interface.
0.1.0 3
The voter register is now backed by a neighbourhood trust network.
Commands "trust" and "untrust" were added to the front end, allowing voters
to submit trust signals for the purpose of cross-authentication. A channel
to Google's geocoding service was added to the back end, enabling signal
ranges to be restricted by configuration scripts. A complete trace of the
trust network is now merged with the voter list, enabling administrators to
restrict voting to trusted registrants. This completes the functional core
of Votorola, bringing it to alpha.
0.0.11 pre-alpha 2008-03
Voter eligibility tests were added. Administrators may now specify
eligibility criteria, such as residential address, by attaching a test
script to the poll. Support for meta-services was added to the "voter"
command shell. Administrators may now issue meta-commands directly from the
command line on behalf of voters, bypassing the usual user interface.
0.0.10 3
The utility "volist" was added to the command line administrative interface.
Snapshots of the voter register may now be captured in archival format.
Use cases were documented.
0.0.9 1
A snapshot facility for voter registers was added to "vosnap". The
design of the voting mechanism (delegate cascade) was documented.
0.0.8 1
The voter register was coded. Register "set" and "unset" commands were
added to the user interface.
0.0.7 2007-12
The utilities "vosnap" and "vocount" were added to the command line
administrative interface. Snapshots of polls may now be captured in
archival format, and results tallied.
0.0.6 12
A meta-service was added to the user interface to provide bootstrap
instructions on accessing the voter services.
0.0.5 12
Basic "vote" and "unvote" commands were added to the user interface,
allowing votes to be cast or withdrawn.
0.0.4 11
Manual pages were written for the command line administrative interface.
Help options were added to administrator and voter commands. A "voter"
shell was coded, allowing an administrator to issue a voter command directly
to a voter service.
0.0.3 11
The command/response layer of the user interface was coded. The code was
internationalized.
0.0.2 10
The authentication layer of the mail-based user interface was coded. A
reference vote-server was set up.
0.0.1 9
The project was created. Initial designs were drafted, and posted for
public review.