The web enabled application condorcet.cgi should run most places you have capability of running CGI scripts. It uses a simple flat-file database-so there is no need to have Mysql or a similar database installed. The application stores each users votes in a cookie, which isn't terribly secure, but does mean that the application requires a very small database.

The main thing you need to do install this application is to modify the file "initial_parameters.pl" for your installation. I've provided a unix_paramters.pl and nt_parameters.pl file that show parameters I've used for Linux and NT installations respectfully. You will also need to modify the location of the perl interpreter at the top of each cgi script.

If you want to create a new poll, you'll need to create a new introduction page(the current examples of introduction pages include initcondorcet.cgi and condo2004.cgi scripts). You'll also need to create a file similar to

The application can run multiple Condorcet polls from the same installation. Each poll has a separate cookie with the poll name as part of the coookie name. I haven't done extensive stress and volume testing, but the application has conducted polls with a couple hundred people using it.

The security mechanism used here is limited. We had a problem with supporters of one of the major party candidates "stuffing the ballot" during our last poll and manually reset the votes.

There is also a problem just noticed 2002-12-15 that involved improper tallying of votes for candidates in which not all voters have expressed a preference.

My own original vision for this application was that it might evolve into something by which people could easily create polls that could be embedded in weblog or usenet postings-each poll originator could specify whatever voting mechanism(s) they thought were appropriate for their poll.

Some potential immediate improvements to this condorcet.cgi polling system might include:
1) The code needs to be better commented/ organized.
2) It needs a small install script.
3) It needs to be made more generic so that someone doesn't need to be a Perl/HTML programmer to create new polls.
4) The security mechanism needs to be improved.

I'm open to other suggestions for improvement here.

RJB

http://www.outlander.com

Manifest:
Documentation(this file)
------------------------
README
Introductory file for 2004 Presidential Poll
--------------------------------------------
condo2004.cgi
Introductory file for 2000 Presidential Poll
--------------------------------------------
initcondorcet.cgi
Script that handles actual processing-this is
called from initcondorcet.cgi and condo2004.cgi
-------------------------------------------
condorcet.cgi
Parameter file for current version
----------------------------------
initial_parameters.pl
Example parameter file for Unix OS's
------------------------------------
nt_parameters.pl
Example parameter file for NT OS's
----------------------------------
unix_parameters.pl
These files keep poll instances
from interfering with each other.
---------------------------------
mutex.2000_condorcet_uspres
mutex.2004_condorcet_uspres
These maintain the database for each poll.
------------------------------------------
voter_pref_init.2000_condorcet_uspres
voter_pref_init.2004_condorcet_uspres
voter_pref.2004_condorcet_uspres
voter_pref.2000_condorcet_uspres