Model-based Documentation (MBD)
is an integrated approach to the design and development
of semi-automated document production systems.
Specifically, MBD uses a consistent "system model"
(at various levels of abstraction)
to provide conceptual clarity, ease navigation,
and guide the development process.
The following tables list several dozen Open Source tools,
summarizing their applicability
for use in an MBD project.
The first three tables list tools which are primarily applicable
to a single phase; the fourth table lists "Multi-phase" tools.
The last table lists tools which are applicable to Modeling.
Of course, these tools may also be relevant to production MBD suites.
Please contact me with any comments, questions, etc.
Extraction
| Tool | Description | In |
|---|---|---|
| (BEE) ETL Tool | extract, transform, and load suite | DS |
| Clover.ETL | extract, transform, and load framework | DS |
| Enhydra Octopus | extract, transform, and load system | DS |
| KETL | extract, transform, and load system | DS |
| Kettle | extract, transform, and load system | DS |
Analysis
| Tool | Description | In |
|---|---|---|
| COIN-OR | operations research suite | DS |
| Maxima | computer algebra system | DS |
| mg | digital library manager | DS |
| Mondrian | online analytical processing (OLAP) database | BD, PD |
| MySQL | Relational DBMS | DS |
| Octave | numerical calculation tool | DS |
| PostgreSQL | Object/Relational DBMS | DS |
| SQLite | memory-based Relational DBMS | DS |
| The OpenScience Project | links to scientific software | DS |
| Weka | data mining suite | PD |
Presentation
| Tool | Description | In |
|---|---|---|
| Apache | web server | DS |
| AurigaDoc | multi-target documentation tool | DS |
| Cacti | networked graphing tool | DS|
| Cocoon | web (etc) application framework | DS |
| Dia | diagram creation program | DS |
| DocBook | typesetting suite | DS |
| Enhydra | application server | PD |
| GIMP | GNU Image Manipulation Program | DS |
| gnuplot | data plotting program | DS |
| Graphviz | graph visualization suite | DS |
| ImageMagick | image manipulation suite | DS |
| JasperReports | report generator | BD |
| JBoss | application server | PD |
| JOSSO | SSO (single sign-on) infrastructure | PD |
| JPivot | spreadsheet-like front end for Mondrian | BD, PD |
| OpenI | report generator | BD |
| OpenOffice | office suite | DS |
| Ploticus | numerical (etc) display tool | DS |
| Rails | web (etc) application framework | DS |
| Rhino | Javascript engine | PD |
| RRDtool | data logging and graphing tool | DS|
| TeX (etc) | typesetting suite | DS |
| Texinfo | the GNU documentation system | DS |
| Troff (etc) | typesetting suite | DS |
| unroff | Troff to HTML, etc. | DS |
Multi-phase
| Tool | Ph. | Description | In |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIRT | _AP | Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools | PD |
| Doxygen | EAP | software documentation generator | DS |
| Eclipse | EAP | Java IDE and application platform | PD |
| Ganglia | EAP | OS / network monitoring system | DS|
| Ghostscript | E_P | PDF / PostScript suite | DS |
| GRASS | EAP | Geographic Information System | DS |
| HTML Tidy | E_P | HTML clean-up tool | DS |
| Joomla! | _AP | content management system | DS |
| Kowari | EAP | database for metadata | DS |
| Maxima | _AP | computer algebra system | DS |
| Nagios | EAP | OS / network monitoring system | DS|
| NeDi | EAP | OS / network monitoring system | DS|
| Natural Docs | EAP | software documentation generator | DS |
| Osirix | _AP | volumetric data visualization tool | DS |
| pdftk | E_P | PDF ToolKit | DS |
| PDL | _AP | Perl Data Language (array processing and display) | DS |
| R | _AP | numerical/statistical analysis and display tool | DS |
| SchemaSpy | EAP | database diagrammer | DS |
| Scilab | _AP | numerical analysis and display tool | DS |
| Swish-e | _AP | indexing system for HTML, PDF, etc. | DS |
| Synopsis | EAP | software documentation generator | DS |
| UIMA | EA_ | Unstructured Information Mgmt. Arch. | DS |
| VTK | _AP | 3D visualization toolkit | DS |
| Xpdf | E_P | PDF / PostScript suite | DS |
| W3C Open Source Software | _AP | W3C index to Open Source software | DS |
Modeling
| Tool | Description | In |
|---|---|---|
| Comet | constraint-based, OO programming language for modeling and search | DS |
| KAON | ontology management infrastructure | DS |
| MindRaider | Semantic Web outliner | DS |
| OpenCyc | knowledge base and commonsense reasoning engine | DS |
| PowerLoom | knowledge representation system | DS |
| Protégé | knowledge base framework | DS |
| TAP | RDF-based knowledge engineering suite | DS |
| TM4J | Topic Map suite | DS |
| Topic Map Tools | annotated list of Topic Map tools | DS |
| ZTM | Zope Topic Map system | DS |
Distribution Status
The last column (In) of each table above indicated where the package can be acquired: