[TYPO3-ect] Concept of global categories

[Franz Koch]

Hi Elmar,
> some of you seemed to be interested to establish a system of global categories.
> I will work this week on an article about the scopes of ECT and would like to
> mention the idea of global categories. Could you please point out your ideas about?

I just stumbeled over this list. I also asked for global categories 
once. Do you think the DAM-Categories could be used somehow?

And by thinking a little bit further - I really like the concept of the 
DAM and especially that selections can be stored. This concept could 
also be used for pages and content elements - as long as they are 
categorized with DAM-Visible categories.

Currently I'm going to develop a DAM-Frontend (starting the next few 
days) - mainly as a highly flexible 'gallery', but my concept also 
includes something like an extendable template-switcher/renderTypes 
(something like TV etc.), a rights-management (what fields/functions are 
visible/useable for/by a usergroup etc. - already got this of a 
different extension), customizable list-views (categories,selections and 
a small query-builder [allready got this, too] as sources) and much more.
By that it would be possible to render anything that is viewable by the 
DAM with switchable renderTypes or on fileType basis. RenderTypes could be:
- tutorials (something like the Documentations page on typo3.org)
- thumbnails/gallery
- download list
   (download-function could be restricted via rights management)

And for each renderType a set of selectable renderTemplates could be 
defined, e.g. for thumbnails/gallery
- small thumbnails in a row
- big thumbnails in a row
- browse and searchable categories
- downloadable image ressources
- gallery management for fe-users

This could also make about 60% of current extensions obsolete (at least 
as they are currently) as the stuff like "list view", "single view", 
"category selection", "search box", "upload field" would be handled by 
this "master extension" as long as the stuff that should be listet is 
visible to the DAM.
I also planed to implement (if possible) a non-DAM version in which you 
can select every (relevant) table defined in TCA, so that extensions 
only have to generate a new table, define a render-object and/or 
template and that's all.

Sounds a little euphoric - I know - and I don't know how much of it can 
be realized - but I'll give it a try as I at least need a flexible 
DAM-frontend till may. Any help or suggestions are gladly welcome.

Got a little OT know, but it is at least related to categories ;)
-- 
Kind regards,
Franz Koch