powerplant:software_specification

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companion_planting:powerplant:software_specification [2017/12/10 20:57] – [Product Scope] aimeejuliapowerplant:software_specification [2019/04/01 21:46] (current) ecohack
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 for "powerplant"/ pp_ / ... for "powerplant"/ pp_ / ...
-Version <0.13>+Document Version <0.14>
  
  
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-powerplant is a software that allows anyone planning a garden to utilize companion planting and other permaculture practices. It provides intelligent suggestions to help the gardener by advising the best planting schedules and combinations of crops to maximize the garden's yield.+powerplant is an opensource webapp that allows anyone planning a garden to utilize companion planting and other permaculture practices. It provides intelligent suggestions to help the gardener by advising the best planting schedules and combinations of crops to maximize the garden's yield.
  
 ===== Users ===== ===== Users =====
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 === Software description === === Software description ===
  
 +Powerplant ...
 +  * ... offers fast and easy solution for knowing which crops (bene)fit together
 +  * ... provides an easy to follow schedule for planting, transplanting, and harvesting
 +  * ... provides information about the crops themselves
 +  * ... gives suggestions which plants should be grown in which enviroment - location, climate, ...
 +  * ... pushes and pulls crop information to/from several open data platforms
 +  * ... allows multiple Users to work on the same garden bed/s
 +  * and allows User input to improve data
  
-  * Offer fast and easy solution for knowing which crops (bene)fit together +powerplant is open-source and uses and creates data with open copyright.
-  * Provide an easy to follow schedule for planting, transplanting, and harvesting +
-  * Provide information about the crops themselves +
-  * Push and pull crop information to/from several open data platforms +
-  * User can submit changes to improve data +
-  * Open-source/open-data+
  
-> TODO: write more and better text 
  
 === Objectives === === Objectives ===
  
-* Improve planning process for anyone who wants to use permaculture principles in their gardening. +  * Improve planning process for anyone who wants to use permaculture principles in their gardening. 
-* Save time during the planning process for anyone who wants to use permaculture principles in their gardening. +  * Save time during the planning process for anyone who wants to use permaculture principles in their gardening. 
-* Education of users +  * Education of users 
-* Improve and collect data in open databases +  * Improve and collect data in open databases 
-* Increase harvest yield +  * Increase harvest yield 
-* Connect with other open source projects for mutual benefit+  * Connect with other open source projects for mutual benefit
  
 ===== Overall Description ===== ===== Overall Description =====
 +
 +<code>
  
 <pre> <pre>
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                             +-----------------------+                             +-----------------------+
 </pre> </pre>
 +
 +</code>
  
  
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 The permaculture ideals are: The permaculture ideals are:
  
-* Care for the earth +  * Care for the earth 
-* Care for the people +  * Care for the people 
-* Fair share+  * Fair share
  
 Open Source/ Open Data. Open Source/ Open Data.
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 A year of use of this software will result in: A year of use of this software will result in:
  
-* Users adding to data from all over the world (different climates, soil types) +  * Users adding to data from all over the world (different climates, soil types) 
-* Maybe make some money for affiliate links (seeds, supplies) or donations +  * Maybe make some money for affiliate links (seeds, supplies) or donations 
-* Users plan garden and fields with our software +  * Users plan garden and fields with our software 
-* Users are better educated about gardening and permaculture +  * Users are better educated about gardening and permaculture 
-* Enhance other open source projects with valuable information +  * Enhance other open source projects with valuable information 
-* More development on powerplant resulting in better software +  * More development on powerplant resulting in better software 
-** especially including more OS/OD enthusiasts +     * especially including more OS/OD enthusiasts 
-** building up networks with different OS/OD projects+     * building up networks with different OS/OD projects
    
 ==== Product Functionality ==== ==== Product Functionality ====
    
-TODO: Add major functions that the product must perform or must let the user perform.+>TODO: Add major functions that the product must perform or must let the user perform.
  
 === Must Have === === Must Have ===
  
-* Select different guides +  * Select different guides 
-* Offline and online user experience +  * Offline and online user experience 
-* Suggestions for existing beds +  * Suggestions for existing beds 
-* Mark a bed as full or not +  * Mark a bed as full or not 
-* Notifications from schedule +  * Notifications from schedule 
-* Tasks and actions +  * Tasks and actions 
-* Schedule+  * Schedule
  
-* user can signup/ login or decide to use with local storage only +  * user can signup/ login or decide to use with local storage only 
-* user can create an account from garden data they've already entered +  * user can create an account from garden data they've already entered 
-* user can create beds +  * user can create beds 
-* user can create gardens+  * user can create gardens
  
-* Need a list of available plants (internal) +  * Need a list of available plants (internal) 
-* Need to be able to see compatible/incompatible plants (internal) +  * Need to be able to see compatible/incompatible plants (internal) 
-* Need to be able to filter by compatibility with multiple plants (internal) +  * Need to be able to filter by compatibility with multiple plants (internal) 
-* Find optimal planting schedule for a target bed (with at least one user picked crop)+  * Find optimal planting schedule for a target bed (with at least one user picked crop)
  
 === Should Have === === Should Have ===
  
-* When offline: +  * When offline: 
-** Get suggestions for where to plant crops +      * Get suggestions for where to plant crops 
-*** TODO: Figure out if this is possible offline. +         * TODO: Figure out if this is possible offline. 
-*** Only for plants currently in local memory (eg that are already in beds). More plants is then just disabled. +         * Only for plants currently in local memory (eg that are already in beds). More plants is then just disabled. 
-* If we get the data, notify the user of maintenance tasks include watering, weeding, pruning, etc. +  * If we get the data, notify the user of maintenance tasks include watering, weeding, pruning, etc. 
-* Suggest plants based on distance between plants +  * Suggest plants based on distance between plants 
-* List suggestions for following plants for harvested beds +  * List suggestions for following plants for harvested beds 
-* Sharing/collaboration between users about a specific garden using shareable link +  * Sharing/collaboration between users about a specific garden using shareable link 
-* Add a crop entry +  * Add a crop entry 
-** fill out form +     * fill out form 
-** should be validated +     * should be validated 
-* validation of other users data for a specific climate (proofread, rate, comment, improve) +  * validation of other users data for a specific climate (proofread, rate, comment, improve) 
-** flag trolls/... +     * flag trolls/... 
-* Keep track of nitrogen fixers/consumers in each bed over time +  * Keep track of nitrogen fixers/consumers in each bed over time 
-* Save edit history for OpenFarm data +  * Save edit history for OpenFarm data 
-* permaculture zones: +  * permaculture zones: 
-** a garden can have zones +    * a garden can have zones 
-** suggestions based on zones +    * suggestions based on zones 
-*** plant zone is dependent on how much attention they need/how often you harvest +      * plant zone is dependent on how much attention they need/how often you harvest 
-**** TODO: think about this, how to figure that out+        * TODO: think about this, how to figure that out
  
 === Cool to Have === === Cool to Have ===
  
-* Include types of beds required for a crop +  * Include types of beds required for a crop 
-* Get revenue from links for more information. +  * Get revenue from links for more information. 
-* Plant pictures +  * Plant pictures 
-* Print Shopping List +  * Print Shopping List 
-* modify the same garden by multiple users at the same time +  * modify the same garden by multiple users at the same time 
-* Have some visualization of garden beds with plants +  * Have some visualization of garden beds with plants 
-* Draw in current crops +  * Draw in current crops 
-* Gamification +  * Gamification 
-** Levels/badges for users +    * Levels/badges for users 
-*** Contributor +      * Contributor 
-*** Expert farmer +      * Expert farmer 
-*** etc.+      * etc.
  
 > TODO: Figure out where these attributes belong: Soil conditions, grow time, climate, sun direction relative to each bed, labor required for each plant, sun+water required, best season/time to plant, care frequency, nitrogen/ consumption > TODO: Figure out where these attributes belong: Soil conditions, grow time, climate, sun direction relative to each bed, labor required for each plant, sun+water required, best season/time to plant, care frequency, nitrogen/ consumption
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 === Minimal Viable Project === === Minimal Viable Project ===
  
-* The User should be able to select a minimum of two plants and the app will produce a result to list of plants in groups that are compatible with each other. +  * The User should be able to select a minimum of two plants and the app will produce a result to list of plants in groups that are compatible with each other. 
-* It should only list small groups that are not contained in a bigger group +  * It should only list small groups that are not contained in a bigger group 
-** Example: {Nasturium, Potato, Onion} = {Nasturium, Potato}, {Onion} != {Nasturium, Potato}, {Onion}, {Potato}, {Nasturium} +     * Example: {Nasturium, Potato, Onion} = {Nasturium, Potato}, {Onion} != {Nasturium, Potato}, {Onion}, {Potato}, {Nasturium} 
-* Search by Common english name or binoial name in the same field +  * Search by Common english name or binoial name in the same field 
-** If crop not found it should tell: "Plant not yet in the database or you wrote the name wrong :) - or you can try again using the binomial name" +    * If crop not found it should tell: "Plant not yet in the database or you wrote the name wrong :) - or you can try again using the binomial name" 
-* This should represent the function of creating multiple beds from a list of seeds/plants you want to plant +  * This should represent the function of creating multiple beds from a list of seeds/plants you want to plant 
-* TODO +  * TODO 
-** Backend: Import plant data from PFAF database, import basic plant relationship data (firebase), create HTTP API call to get compatible groups from a big group of plants.+    * Backend: Import plant data from practicalplants database, import basic plant relationship data (firebase), create HTTP API call to get compatible groups from a big group of plants.
  
 === Detailed function description. === === Detailed function description. ===
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 User should choose between different guides (from openfarm.cc) for a crop that fits their needs User should choose between different guides (from openfarm.cc) for a crop that fits their needs
-* When adding a crop to a bed, users have the option of selecting a guide available from openfarm + 
-* Users can view the guide for a crop at any time from the crop details page +  * When adding a crop to a bed, users have the option of selecting a guide available from openfarm 
-* Guides can be removed, added or changed to a crop in crop view (only one guide per crop)+  * Users can view the guide for a crop at any time from the crop details page 
 +  * Guides can be removed, added or changed to a crop in crop view (only one guide per crop)
  
 == Offline and Online user experience == == Offline and Online user experience ==
  
 NEARLY the same UX (user experience) both offline and online! This is really important because people will need to use on mobile in their garden NEARLY the same UX (user experience) both offline and online! This is really important because people will need to use on mobile in their garden
-* Things a user will most likely want to do while offline. Use command pattern for the actions and queue them up. They sync when the phone/browser has network connection again. This also allows undo's. +  * Things a user will most likely want to do while offline. Use command pattern for the actions and queue them up. They sync when the phone/browser has network connection again. This also allows undo's. 
-** Add a new bed +     * Add a new bed 
-** Add existing crops to that bed +     * Add existing crops to that bed 
-** Change the status of a crop +     * Change the status of a crop 
-** Change status of a task +     * Change status of a task 
-** Switch to any other bed in their garden +     * Switch to any other bed in their garden 
-** View a guide/information for a crop+     * View a guide/information for a crop
  
 == Suggestions == == Suggestions ==
  
-* Provide suggestions for adding specific crops to existing beds +  * Provide suggestions for adding specific crops to existing beds 
-** User can ask for crop suggestions when adding crops to a garden or bed +    * User can ask for crop suggestions when adding crops to a garden or bed 
-* Provide suggestions for adding specific crops to a specific bed +  * Provide suggestions for adding specific crops to a specific bed 
-** User can also ask for suggestions for crops to add to a specific bed +    * User can also ask for suggestions for crops to add to a specific bed 
-* Must have at least one user-selected crop to provide suggestions+  * Must have at least one user-selected crop to provide suggestions
  
 == Notifications == == Notifications ==
  
 Notify users of tasks that should be done for each garden/bed/crop on a given day Notify users of tasks that should be done for each garden/bed/crop on a given day
-* Email notifications +  * Email notifications 
-** should be opt out by default +    * should be opt out by default 
-** include weekly summary of upcoming tasks+    * include weekly summary of upcoming tasks
  
-* Push notifications +  * Push notifications 
-** Need to be enabled in browser (would only work on desktop) +    * Need to be enabled in browser (would only work on desktop) 
-** include events happening on the current day+    Include events happening on the current day
  
 == Tasks and Actions == == Tasks and Actions ==
  
-* Right now, this would include planting, transplanting, and harvesting - only the major events +  * Right now, this would include planting, transplanting, and harvesting - only the major events 
-* Users can add custom tasks from a predefined set of actions (or "other"+  * Users can add custom tasks from a predefined set of actions (or "other"
-** Tasks are associated with a location, bed, or crop +    * Tasks are associated with a location, bed, or crop 
-** Repeatable tasks +    * Repeatable tasks 
-* Mark tasks as complete, or postpone or ignore them+  * Mark tasks as complete, or postpone or ignore them
  
 == Schedule == == Schedule ==
  
 Find optimal planting schedule for a target bed (with at least one user picked crop) Find optimal planting schedule for a target bed (with at least one user picked crop)
-* When adding a crop, users can get suggestions for when to plant it based on the duration of growth +  * When adding a crop, users can get suggestions for when to plant it based on the duration of growth 
-* Goal is to maximize the overall yield and allow for consistent harvest throughout the year+  * Goal is to maximize the overall yield and allow for consistent harvest throughout the year
  
 Information accessible on timeline of different stages and locations of growth (i.e. when to grow in greenhouse and transplant them outside) Information accessible on timeline of different stages and locations of growth (i.e. when to grow in greenhouse and transplant them outside)
  
-* Users can view the schedule for a location or bed as a chart +  * Users can view the schedule for a location or bed as a chart 
-* Growth periods are shaded in bars, single events are represented as lines +  * Growth periods are shaded in bars, single events are represented as lines 
-* Should allow the user to see, at a quick glance, what is growing and when things can be harvested +  * Should allow the user to see, at a quick glance, what is growing and when things can be harvested 
-** Also be able to identify gaps in the schedule which could be filled +    * Also be able to identify gaps in the schedule which could be filled 
-* Should also show information about compatibility interactions +  * Should also show information about compatibility interactions 
-** Needs to be intuitive and simple to understand, obvious from one look at the schedule+    * Needs to be intuitive and simple to understand, obvious from one look at the schedule
  
 == User Contributions == == User Contributions ==
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 Creating Guides should link into OpenFarm directly - Create Guide. Creating Guides should link into OpenFarm directly - Create Guide.
-* pro: less work for developer +  * pro: less work for developer 
-* contra: might be confusing for the user+  * contra: might be confusing for the user 
 Editing Guides should be put into powerplant "centralized improved guide" (except it is your own guide?). This avoids parallel versions of the same guide edited by different users, and instead puts all the edits in one place. Editing Guides should be put into powerplant "centralized improved guide" (except it is your own guide?). This avoids parallel versions of the same guide edited by different users, and instead puts all the edits in one place.
 Editing Cropinformation should be edited in OpenFarm directly. Editing Cropinformation should be edited in OpenFarm directly.
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 === Terminology === === Terminology ===
  
-Location: Group of gardens whose permaculture zones are defined relative to a common zone 0 +**TODO** Create Seperate page to link to 
-Garden: combination of beds in the same vicinity and permaculture zone + 
-Bed: Section in a garden (can be a greenhouse, a pot or a patch of soil) +**Location**: Group of gardens whose permaculture zones are defined relative to a common zone 0 
-Crop: Specific instance of a crop that will be planted in a bed + 
-Transplant: action of moving a crop from a pot (non-bed) to a bed +**Garden**: combination of beds in the same vicinity and permaculture zone 
-Zone/Permaculture Zone: Ordered area from 0 to 5 by frequency of visits/maintance requirement (/often also related to proximity)+ 
 +**Bed**: Section in a garden (can be a greenhouse, a pot or a patch of soil) 
 + 
 +**Crop**: Specific instance of a crop that will be planted in a bed 
 + 
 +**Transplant**: action of moving a crop from a pot (non-bed) to a bed 
 + 
 +**Zone/Permaculture Zone**: Ordered area from 0 to 5 by frequency of visits/maintance requirement (/often also related to proximity)
  
-=== 2. Provide a Data Flow Diagram of the system to show how these functions relate to each other. ===+=== Provide a Data Flow Diagram of the system to show how these functions relate to each other. ===
  
 Data flow diagram for cropinformation/croprelationship data (from openfarm) Data flow diagram for cropinformation/croprelationship data (from openfarm)
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 > TO DO: Describe what kind of manuals and what kind of help is needed for the software you will be developing. > TO DO: Describe what kind of manuals and what kind of help is needed for the software you will be developing.
-List the user documentation components (such as user manuals, on-line help, and tutorials) that will be delivered along with the software.//+List the user documentation components (such as user manuals, on-line help, and tutorials) that will be delivered along with the software.
  
-Need to have user documentation. Usability will be severly limited without. Need to have in depth descriptions of how to input data, what screens should look like, how to interpret output. Need to document things before creating them.+Need to have user documentation. Usability will be severely limited without. Need to have in depth descriptions of how to input data, what screens should look like, how to interpret output. Need to document things before creating them.
  
-* User manual +  * User manual 
-* FAQ +  * FAQ 
-* First time user prompts +  * First time user prompts 
-* Community talking points +  * Community talking points 
-* Chat rooms (like FarmOS) +  * Chat rooms (like FarmOS) 
-* Tutorials for most exemplary tasks (Videos, ...)+  * Tutorials for most exemplary tasks (Videos, ...)
  
 ===== Specific Requirements ===== ===== Specific Requirements =====
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 [[https://medium.com/@marcintreder/the-minimum-viable-design-system-75ca1806848a]] [[https://medium.com/@marcintreder/the-minimum-viable-design-system-75ca1806848a]]
  
-* Lots of rounded rectangles to contain components +  * Lots of rounded rectangles to contain components 
-* Font size standards based on Marvel prototype (maybe change to be based on screen size in the future) +  * Font size standards based on Marvel prototype (maybe change to be based on screen size in the future) 
-** Main page title: 26pt +    * Main page title: 26pt 
-** Subtitle: 18pt +    * Subtitle: 18pt 
-** Body text: 14pt +    * Body text: 14pt 
-* Sidebar menu accessible from any screen which shows the current location and allows jumping to any screen above it in the hierarchy (All Gardens -> Garden Dashboard -> Bed Dashboard -> Crop) +  * Sidebar menu accessible from any screen which shows the current location and allows jumping to any screen above it in the hierarchy (All Gardens -> Garden Dashboard -> Bed Dashboard -> Crop) 
-* Gardens and Beds contain 3 subscreens (fragments?+  * Gardens and Beds contain 3 subscreens (fragments?
-** Dashboard, Beds/Crops, Schedule +    * Dashboard, Beds/Crops, Schedule 
-** Dashboard shows relevant tasks +    * Dashboard shows relevant tasks 
-** Beds/Crops shows all Beds/Crops contained within the Garden/Bed +    * Beds/Crops shows all Beds/Crops contained within the Garden/Bed 
-** Schedule shows history of all past, present, and future crops for the Garden/Bed +    * Schedule shows history of all past, present, and future crops for the Garden/Bed 
-* Any time there is a title/heading of an element containing a Garden, Bed, or Crop, it will have a small drop down menu next to it +  * Any time there is a title/heading of an element containing a Garden, Bed, or Crop, it will have a small drop down menu next to it 
-** Menu items: Edit, delete +    * Menu items: Edit, delete 
-** This is the main mechanism by which user can change settings/status of a specific Garden, Bed, or Crop+    * This is the main mechanism by which user can change settings/status of a specific Garden, Bed, or Crop
  
 === View Description === === View Description ===
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 > TO DO:  Describe: the connections between the product and other specific software components (name and version),  databases,  operating systems (Windows? Linux? Etc…), tools, libraries and integrated commercial components.  > TO DO:  Describe: the connections between the product and other specific software components (name and version),  databases,  operating systems (Windows? Linux? Etc…), tools, libraries and integrated commercial components. 
  
-* FarmOS +  * FarmOS 
-** FarmOS users can provide the url of their server and save/load all of their data BESIDES crop guides and crop information from there +    * FarmOS users can provide the url of their server and save/load all of their data BESIDES crop guides and crop information from there 
-** There will have to be a moderate amount of translation between powerplant data format and FarmOS data format +    * There will have to be a moderate amount of translation between powerplant data format and FarmOS data format 
-** Rather than building a seperate FarmOS module, we will make our web app compatible with FarmOS +    * Rather than building a seperate FarmOS module, we will make our web app compatible with FarmOS 
-** A FarmOS module could be possible, but requires much more time and expertise than it is worth at the moment +    * A FarmOS module could be possible, but requires much more time and expertise than it is worth at the moment 
-* Openfarm.cc +  * Openfarm.cc 
-** Openfarm stores CropRelationships, Crop Guides, and Crop Information +      * Openfarm stores CropRelationships, Crop Guides, and Crop Information 
-** Powerplant users can choose to register their accounts with Openfarm as well +      * Powerplant users can choose to register their accounts with Openfarm as well 
-** Users who do this will be able to save/modify this data +      * Users who do this will be able to save/modify this data 
-** All users (registered or not), while load this data from Openfarm+      * All users (registered or not), while load this data from Openfarm
  
 > TO DO: Identify data items or messages coming into the system and going out and describe the purpose of each.  > TO DO: Identify data items or messages coming into the system and going out and describe the purpose of each. 
  
-* FarmOS specs go here +  * FarmOS specs go here 
-* openfarm.cc specs go here+  * openfarm.cc specs go here
  
 > TO DO: Describe the services needed.  > TO DO: Describe the services needed. 
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 > TO DO: Identify data that will be shared across software components. > TO DO: Identify data that will be shared across software components.
  
-* need to look at what FarmOS stores and what we store +  * need to look at what FarmOS stores and what we store 
- figure out what we can store in FarmOS+  figure out what we can store in FarmOS
  
  
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 TO DO:  TO DO: 
  
-1. Describe the requirements associated with any communication functions required by this product, including e-mail, web browser, network server communications protocols, electronic forms.  +  - Describe the requirements associated with any communication functions required by this product, including e-mail, web browser, network server communications protocols, electronic forms.  
- +   
-2. Define any pertinent message formatting. +  Define any pertinent message formatting. 
  
 ==== communication standards that will be used, such as FTP or HTTP. ==== ==== communication standards that will be used, such as FTP or HTTP. ====
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 === List of Use case === === List of Use case ===
  
- * a user has an empty garden, and they want to know what they should plant +   a user has an empty garden, and they want to know what they should plant 
- * a user has a non-empty garden, and they want to know what they should add to it +   a user has a non-empty garden, and they want to know what they should add to it 
- * user wants to track their garden's progress/crops planted +   user wants to track their garden's progress/crops planted 
- * user has some data they want to contribute +   user has some data they want to contribute  
- * cool to have +   cool to have 
- *user wants to manage a garden with multiple people working on it+      user wants to manage a garden with multiple people working on it
  
 > TODO: Add more use cases > TODO: Add more use cases
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 > TODO: Create use case diagrams involving each of the possible types of users > TODO: Create use case diagrams involving each of the possible types of users
  
- +TODO: Convince openfarm to enhance companionship model or find a suitable ruby on rails developer
-General TODO: +
-    Convince openfarm to enhance companionship model or find a suitable ruby on rails developer+
          
 [[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwEWI1CO-iYrWnhPV2xJRjZtUkU/view?usp=sharing|Diagrams]] [[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwEWI1CO-iYrWnhPV2xJRjZtUkU/view?usp=sharing|Diagrams]]
 +
  
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  • Last modified: 2017/12/10 20:57
  • by aimeejulia