The SEES Book Application is a simple application similar to django book and hg book. It has the features that enables a user to comment on all the paragraphs of the book.
Although the application uses reST format for editing, it converts it into a docbook intermediate. This docbook intermediate can be used for publishing the book into pdf format. Thus this app makes a great idea for web publishing and thus provides a discussion framework for various parties involved in creation of a book.

At the heart of it is a web application written in django that keeps a database of all the comments made on different paragraphs. Since the database of the number of paragraphs can change over the course of writing the book, it is kept in the form of python dictionary which is created every time the book is rebuilt. The commenting system is handled using javascript similar to django book.

Since we need to take care of the dynamic nature of the book during the discussion period, there is a build system for the book. The build system ensures that comments are not lost over the course of the discussion. It uses common tools like xsltproc and rst2xml/docbook converter in python docutils. xsltproc is used to convert xml/docbook to html using some xsl stylesheet. There is a tremendous scope for improvement in the app. It requires code refactoring, beautifying and making the code more readable and configurable . Generalization and making it more applicable to other similar use cases. First of all the docbook converter is specific for this project. A generalized docbook converter in docutils will be great . Their is work being done on in the docutils sandbox. Also a workflow design that automates indexing of chapters is required. A more generalized app can become a framework for book publication related discussions.

The url to the application is http://fossee.in/review/ and the code for the application is available at http://fossee.in/hg/SEES-hacks/