The application's Perl code lives under lib/Kastalia/. Main.pm defines almost every HTTP route -- what URL does what. Core.pm, TT.pm, SelectorQueries.pm and API.pm have no package statement of their own: they are require'd straight into Main.pm's namespace, so every helper function they define (addKnot, addBound, addAttribute, the various graph-query helpers used by templates, and so on) is directly callable, unqualified, from anywhere in that merged namespace -- effectively one large shared toolbox rather than several separate modules. User.pm is the one exception that keeps its own package Kastalia::User, for the LDAP-backed account/login logic, while still sharing the same Dancer2 app context.
Dancer2 itself handles routing, sessions (backed by Memcached) and the Template::Toolkit rendering described in the Frontend section.
The
application
'
s
Perl
code
lives
under
lib
/
Kastalia
/.
Main
.
pm
defines
almost
every
HTTP
route
--
what
URL
does
what
.
Core
.
pm
''
TT
.
pm
''
SelectorQueries
.
pm
and
API
.
pm
have
no
package
statement
of
their
own
:
they
are
require
'
d
straight
into
Main
.
pm
'
s
namespace
''
so
every
helper
function
they
define
(
addKnot
''
addBound
''
addAttribute
''
the
various
graph
-
query
helpers
used
by
templates
''
and
so
on
)
is
directly
callable
''
unqualified
''
from
anywhere
in
that
merged
namespace
--
effectively
one
large
shared
toolbox
rather
than
several
separate
modules
.
User
.
pm
is
the
one
exception
that
keeps
its
own
package
Kastalia
::
User
''
for
the
LDAP
-
backed
account
/
login
logic
''
while
still
sharing
the
same
Dancer2
app
context
.<
br
><
br
>
Dancer2
itself
handles
routing
''
sessions
(
backed
by
Memcached
)
and
the
Template
::
Toolkit
rendering
described
in
the
Frontend
section
.
![]()
Two tables carry almost the entire system: knots(knot_id, knot_name, knot_content, attributes hstore) and bounds(bound_id, sub, predicate, obj, ord, bound_creator).
attributes is a Postgres hstore column -- an open-ended set of key/value string pairs -- rather than a fixed set of typed columns. This is what lets a knot carry wildly different metadata depending on what it's being used for: a presentation knot might have ogg_url and presentation_timeline; an image knot an img_url; a person knot an age or voice. No schema migration is needed to introduce a new attribute -- any route can simply start writing a new key.
predicate, by contrast, is a proper Postgres ENUM type, not a free string -- a closed, explicit list of the relation kinds the graph currently understands (is_parent, contains, is_member, is_uttered_as, illustrates, translates, echoes, is_linked, and a handful of others). Extending the vocabulary means explicitly adding a new value to that enum (ALTER TYPE predicate ADD VALUE ...) -- a small deliberate act, not an accident of someone typing a slightly different string.
433
Two
tables
carry
almost
the
entire
system
:
knots
(
knot
id
''
knot
name
''
knot
content
''
attributes
hstore
)
and
bounds
(
bound
id
''
sub
''
predicate
''
obj
''
ord
''
bound
creator
).<
br
><
br
>
attributes
is
a
Postgres
hstore
column
--
an
open
-
ended
set
of
key
/
value
string
pairs
--
rather
than
a
fixed
set
of
typed
columns
.
This
is
what
lets
a
knot
carry
wildly
different
metadata
depending
on
what
it
'
s
being
used
for
:
a
presentation
knot
might
have
ogg
url
and
presentation
timeline
;
an
image
knot
an
img
url
;
a
person
knot
an
age
or
voice
.
No
schema
migration
is
needed
to
introduce
a
new
attribute
--
any
route
can
simply
start
writing
a
new
key
.<
br
><
br
>
predicate
''
by
contrast
''
is
a
proper
Postgres
ENUM
type
''
not
a
free
string
--
a
closed
''
explicit
list
of
the
relation
kinds
the
graph
currently
understands
(
is
parent
''
contains
''
is
member
''
is
uttered
as
''
illustrates
''
translates
''
echoes
''
is
linked
''
and
a
handful
of
others
).
Extending
the
vocabulary
means
explicitly
adding
a
new
value
to
that
enum
(
ALTER
TYPE
predicate
ADD
VALUE
...)
--
a
small
deliberate
act
''
not
an
accident
of
someone
typing
a
slightly
different
string
.
![]()
Kastalia did not appear out of nowhere. This section gathers the three threads that, braided together, led to the system as it exists today: the philosophical commitments that shaped its design (Philosophy), the fictional and speculative works that fed its imagination (Fiction), and the plain factual record of how the project actually unfolded over time (History).
427
Kastalia
did
not
appear
out
of
nowhere
.
This
section
gathers
the
three
threads
that
''
braided
together
''
led
to
the
system
as
it
exists
today
:
the
philosophical
commitments
that
shaped
its
design
(<
em
>
Philosophy
em
>)''
the
fictional
and
speculative
works
that
fed
its
imagination
(<
em
>
Fiction
em
>)''
and
the
plain
factual
record
of
how
the
project
actually
unfolded
over
time
(<
em
>
History
![]()
Kastalia grew, over several years, out of earlier and smaller tools built for recording, annotating and replaying spoken language data -- the is_uttered_as, illustrates and translates predicates still carry traces of that origin. Over time the same knots/bounds substrate proved general enough to also carry course material, presentations, glossaries and personal archives, and the system was generalized accordingly.
Today Kastalia KMS powers several independently themed sites (baumhaus.digital, udk.ai, wizzion.com and others) from the very same underlying graph -- each domain simply renders a different canonical slice of it, through its own domain_template.
430
Kastalia
grew
''
over
several
years
''
out
of
earlier
and
smaller
tools
built
for
recording
''
annotating
and
replaying
spoken
language
data
--
the
is
uttered
as
''
illustrates
and
translates
predicates
still
carry
traces
of
that
origin
.
Over
time
the
same
knots
/
bounds
substrate
proved
general
enough
to
also
carry
course
material
''
presentations
''
glossaries
and
personal
archives
''
and
the
system
was
generalized
accordingly
.<
br
><
br
>
Today
Kastalia
KMS
powers
several
independently
themed
sites
(
baumhaus
.
digital
''
udk
.
ai
''
wizzion
.
com
and
others
)
from
the
very
same
underlying
graph
--
each
domain
simply
renders
a
different
canonical
slice
of
it
''
through
its
own
domain
template
.
![]()
Beyond Hesse's Glass Bead Game, Kastalia's design draws loosely on a handful of other fictional and speculative treatments of knowledge-as-structure: Borges' Library of Babel and his Garden of Forking Paths (both meditations on combinatorial, non-linear texts), and Vannevar Bush's non-fictional but visionary 'memex' -- an imagined machine for associative, trail-following reading that anticipated hypertext by decades.
None of these are literal blueprints. What they share, and what Kastalia tries to inherit from them, is the idea that a body of knowledge is better modelled as an explorable, richly cross-linked space than as a shelf of separately bound books.
429
Beyond
Hesse
'
s
Glass
Bead
Game
''
Kastalia
'
s
design
draws
loosely
on
a
handful
of
other
fictional
and
speculative
treatments
of
knowledge
-
as
-
structure
:
Borges
'
Library
of
Babel
and
his
Garden
of
Forking
Paths
(
both
meditations
on
combinatorial
''
non
-
linear
texts
)''
and
Vannevar
Bush
'
s
non
-
fictional
but
visionary
'
memex
'
--
an
imagined
machine
for
associative
''
trail
-
following
reading
that
anticipated
hypertext
by
decades
.<
br
><
br
>
None
of
these
are
literal
blueprints
.
What
they
share
''
and
what
Kastalia
tries
to
inherit
from
them
''
is
the
idea
that
a
body
of
knowledge
is
better
modelled
as
an
explorable
''
richly
cross
-
linked
space
than
as
a
shelf
of
separately
bound
books
.
![]()
Kastalia is named after Hermann Hesse's Castalia, the walled province of pure intellectual play in The Glass Bead Game -- a deliberate signal that the system is meant to treat knowledge not as a pile of documents to be filed away, but as material for a game: something to be combined, recombined and played with across disciplines.
Technically, this philosophical stance shows up as a refusal to commit to any one fixed schema. Where most content-management systems bake a particular domain's structure into their database (a blog has posts and comments; a course platform has courses and lessons), Kastalia's knots and bounds commit to almost nothing -- any knot can, in principle, stand in any relation to any other. The cost of that freedom is that the system gives you very little for free; the benefit is that it never tells you no.
428
Kastalia
is
named
after
Hermann
Hesse
'
s
Castalia
''
the
walled
province
of
pure
intellectual
play
in
<
em
>
The
Glass
Bead
Game
em
>
--
a
deliberate
signal
that
the
system
is
meant
to
treat
knowledge
not
as
a
pile
of
documents
to
be
filed
away
''
but
as
material
for
a
game
:
something
to
be
combined
''
recombined
and
played
with
across
disciplines
.<
br
><
br
>
Technically
''
this
philosophical
stance
shows
up
as
a
refusal
to
commit
to
any
one
fixed
schema
.
Where
most
content
-
management
systems
bake
a
particular
domain
'
s
structure
into
their
database
(
a
blog
has
posts
and
comments
;
a
course
platform
has
courses
and
lessons
)''
Kastalia
'
s
knots
and
bounds
commit
to
almost
nothing
--
any
knot
can
''
in
principle
''
stand
in
any
relation
to
any
other
.
The
cost
of
that
freedom
is
that
the
system
gives
you
very
little
for
free
;
the
benefit
is
that
it
never
tells
you
no
.
![]()
Kastalia Knowledge Management System, or simply ``Kastalia KMS'', is a system for collaborative web-publishing, data-management and archivation of structured information in a form of a so-called ``knowledge graph''.
Kastalia's knowledge graph (KG) is composed of things - also called ``knowledge units'' or ``knots`` - and relations between things - also called ``bounds''.
Diverse combinations of ``knots'' and ``bounds'' can be obtained by executing different kinds of ``templates'', ultimately providing ``views'' which end up in the browser of a human user.
To the one who understands it and masters it, Kastalia KMS is a strongly generative system providing theoretically infinite flexibility in both content structuration as well as interface design.
422
Kastalia
Knowledge
Management
System
''
or
simply
``
Kastalia
KMS
''''
is
a
system
for
collaborative
web
-
publishing
''
data
-
management
and
archivation
of
structured
information
in
a
form
of
a
so
-
called
``
knowledge
graph
''.
<
br
><
br
>
Kastalia
'
s
knowledge
graph
(
KG
)
is
composed
of
things
-
also
called
``
knowledge
units
''
or
``
knots
``
-
and
relations
between
things
-
also
called
``
bounds
''.<
br
><
br
>
Diverse
combinations
of
``
knots
''
and
``
bounds
''
can
be
obtained
by
executing
different
kinds
of
``
templates
''''
ultimately
providing
``
views
''
which
end
up
in
the
browser
of
a
human
user
.<
br
><
br
>
To
the
one
who
understands
it
and
masters
it
''
Kastalia
KMS
is
a
strongly
generative
system
providing
theoretically
infinite
flexibility
in
both
content
structuration
as
well
as
interface
design
.
![]()
Every bound needs a predicate: a short, fixed vocabulary word that says exactly how its subject knot relates to its object knot. Kastalia constrains this vocabulary deliberately -- predicates live in a proper Postgres ENUM type, not a free-text column -- so that a graph query can rely on a closed, known set of relation kinds rather than accidentally-inconsistent free text.
This short mention is just a pointer: the full catalogue of predicates, with one knot describing each, lives in its own section of this guide (see
Predicates, further down).
431
Every
bound
needs
a
predicate
:
a
short
''
fixed
vocabulary
word
that
says
exactly
how
its
subject
knot
relates
to
its
object
knot
.
Kastalia
constrains
this
vocabulary
deliberately
--
predicates
live
in
a
proper
Postgres
ENUM
type
''
not
a
free
-
text
column
--
so
that
a
graph
query
can
rely
on
a
closed
''
known
set
of
relation
kinds
rather
than
accidentally
-
inconsistent
free
text
.<
br
><
br
>
This
short
mention
is
just
a
pointer
:
the
full
catalogue
of
predicates
''
with
one
knot
describing
each
''
lives
in
its
own
section
of
this
guide
(
see
<
a
href
=
„
/
438
/
knot
“
>
Predicates
![]()
A knowledge graph is a graph whose nodes and edges are meant to be interpreted, not just traversed: nodes stand for entities or ideas, and edges carry a specific predicate (a verb, in effect) that says exactly how the two nodes relate -- is_parent, translates, illustrates, and so on.
Kastalia KMS is, at its core, a general-purpose engine for building, editing and rendering exactly this kind of graph. It does not presuppose any particular domain: the same knots/bounds substrate underlies a university course, a glossary of linguistic terms, an archive of spoken recordings, or a tree of philosophical arguments. What differs between these uses is only which predicates get used, and which template is chosen to turn the raw graph into something readable.
424
A
knowledge
graph
is
a
graph
whose
nodes
and
edges
are
meant
to
be
interpreted
''
not
just
traversed
:
nodes
stand
for
entities
or
ideas
''
and
edges
carry
a
specific
predicate
(
a
verb
''
in
effect
)
that
says
exactly
how
the
two
nodes
relate
--
is
parent
''
translates
''
illustrates
''
and
so
on
.<
br
><
br
>
Kastalia
KMS
is
''
at
its
core
''
a
general
-
purpose
engine
for
building
''
editing
and
rendering
exactly
this
kind
of
graph
.
It
does
not
presuppose
any
particular
domain
:
the
same
knots
/
bounds
substrate
underlies
a
university
course
''
a
glossary
of
linguistic
terms
''
an
archive
of
spoken
recordings
''
or
a
tree
of
philosophical
arguments
.
What
differs
between
these
uses
is
only
which
predicates
get
used
''
and
which
<
em
>
template
em
>
is
chosen
to
turn
the
raw
graph
into
something
readable
.
![]()
A graph, in the mathematical sense, is simply a set of nodes together with a set of edges connecting pairs of nodes. Kastalia treats its entire universe of discourse as one big graph: every stored unit of meaning is a node (Kastalia calls it a knot), and every stated relation between two units is a directed, labelled edge (a bound).
Unlike a tree, a graph permits any node to be reached from many different directions -- the same knot can simultaneously be the child of one category, a member of a group, the illustration of another knot, and the translation of yet another. This is precisely what lets Kastalia model real knowledge, which is rarely a strict hierarchy.
423
A
graph
''
in
the
mathematical
sense
''
is
simply
a
set
of
nodes
together
with
a
set
of
edges
connecting
pairs
of
nodes
.
Kastalia
treats
its
entire
universe
of
discourse
as
one
big
graph
:
every
stored
unit
of
meaning
is
a
node
(
Kastalia
calls
it
a
<
em
>
knot
em
>)''
and
every
stated
relation
between
two
units
is
a
directed
''
labelled
edge
(
a
<
em
>
bound
em
>).<
br
><
br
>
Unlike
a
tree
''
a
graph
permits
any
node
to
be
reached
from
many
different
directions
--
the
same
knot
can
simultaneously
be
the
child
of
one
category
''
a
member
of
a
group
''
the
illustration
of
another
knot
''
and
the
translation
of
yet
another
.
This
is
precisely
what
lets
Kastalia
model
real
knowledge
''
which
is
rarely
a
strict
hierarchy
.
![]()
A template is the piece of code that decides how a given knot (and, typically, its neighbours in the graph) gets turned into an actual page a human can read. Kastalia uses Template::Toolkit (Perl's TT) for this: each template is a .tt file living under views/, free to query the graph however it needs and to render the result however it likes.
The same knot can, in principle, be rendered by several different templates -- a lecture knot might look like a slide deck under mainframe, a flat document under knot (the default), or a node in a force-directed diagram under arbre. Which template applies is usually decided by the knot's own template attribute, though some domains additionally define a fixed canonical template that every .knot-style URL on that domain gets routed through regardless (see domain_template in config.yml).
The resulting rendered page is called a view.
426
A
<
em
>
template
em
>
is
the
piece
of
code
that
decides
how
a
given
knot
(
and
''
typically
''
its
neighbours
in
the
graph
)
gets
turned
into
an
actual
page
a
human
can
read
.
Kastalia
uses
Template
::
Toolkit
(
Perl
'
s
TT
)
for
this
:
each
template
is
a
.
tt
file
living
under
views
/''
free
to
query
the
graph
however
it
needs
and
to
render
the
result
however
it
likes
.<
br
><
br
>
The
same
knot
can
''
in
principle
''
be
rendered
by
several
different
templates
--
a
lecture
knot
might
look
like
a
slide
deck
under
mainframe
''
a
flat
document
under
knot
(
the
default
)''
or
a
node
in
a
force
-
directed
diagram
under
arbre
.
Which
template
applies
is
usually
decided
by
the
knot
'
s
own
template
attribute
''
though
some
domains
additionally
define
a
fixed
<
em
>
canonical
em
>
template
that
every
.
knot
-
style
URL
on
that
domain
gets
routed
through
regardless
(
see
domain
template
in
config
.
yml
).<
br
><
br
>
The
resulting
rendered
page
is
called
a
<
em
>
view
![]()
The two fundamental tables of Kastalia's database are knots and bounds.
A knot is a single addressable unit of content: it has a unique knot_id, a knot_name (its path-like, human-readable label), a knot_content (free text, typically light HTML, such as the page you are reading right now), and a set of free-form attributes (an open-ended key-value store -- see the Attributes section of this guide).
A bound connects two knots -- a sub(ject) and an obj(ect) -- through a predicate that names the relation between them (see the Predicates section). Bounds also carry an ord (ordering, used whenever children/items need a stable sequence) and a bound_creator (who asserted the relation).
Everything visible anywhere in Kastalia -- a course, a presentation, a glossary entry, a recording -- is ultimately just some knots and the bounds between them, read out through a template.
425
The
two
fundamental
tables
of
Kastalia
'
s
database
are
knots
and
bounds
.<
br
><
br
>
A
<
strong
>
knot
strong
>
is
a
single
addressable
unit
of
content
:
it
has
a
unique
knot
id
''
a
knot
name
(
its
path
-
like
''
human
-
readable
label
)''
a
knot
content
(
free
text
''
typically
light
HTML
''
such
as
the
page
you
are
reading
right
now
)''
and
a
set
of
free
-
form
attributes
(
an
open
-
ended
key
-
value
store
--
see
the
Attributes
section
of
this
guide
).<
br
><
br
>
A
<
strong
>
bound
strong
>
connects
two
knots
--
a
sub
(
ject
)
and
an
obj
(
ect
)
--
through
a
predicate
that
names
the
relation
between
them
(
see
the
Predicates
section
).
Bounds
also
carry
an
ord
(
ordering
''
used
whenever
children
/
items
need
a
stable
sequence
)
and
a
bound
creator
(
who
asserted
the
relation
).<
br
><
br
>
Everything
visible
anywhere
in
Kastalia
--
a
course
''
a
presentation
''
a
glossary
entry
''
a
recording
--
is
ultimately
just
some
knots
and
the
bounds
between
them
''
read
out
through
a
template
.
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This file was created for the benefit of all AIEDucators, teachers, students, developers and parents wanting to use Kastalia Knowledge Management System (KMS) creation of their own knowledge graphs, archives of more complex curricular and/or meta-curricular structures.
421
This
file
was
created
for
the
benefit
of
all
AIEDucators
''
teachers
''
students
''
developers
and
parents
wanting
to
use
Kastalia
Knowledge
Management
System
(
KMS
)
creation
of
their
own
knowledge
graphs
''
archives
of
more
complex
curricular
and
/
or
meta
-
curricular
structures
.
![]()
×
- You start the recording with a start button (You can click on it, touch it, or simply move Your finger/cursor over it).
- Subsequently, You move the finger/cursor over the first syllable/word. You pronounce the segment only when its background has green color.
- You gradually progress from syllable to syllable and segment to segment. You always start pronouncing certain segment only when it is green.
- Note that accentuated & long syllables are marked with blue color, while short/non-accentuated syllables are marked with green color.
- After You are done with the last syllable You move Your finger towards the stop button. Then you can playback the whole recording, when you are satisfied you click on "Upload" and the next text appears.
×
In order to be fully compliant with European data-protection Law, we need Your explicit consent regarding use of Your voice data. Please choose one among following consent types:
- Do not upload :: You do not give us Your consent. Thus, no data will be uploaded from Your browser to our server. But You can still use the interface for testing purposes.
- Only speech-to-text-models :: Your recordings will become part of the corpus from which automatic speech recognition (ASR) models will be trained. Corpus itself will not be published but the final model will be published.
- Only text-to-speech :: Similar to previous option but this time, the resulting model will not be used for ASR but for synthesis of artificial voices.
- STT & TTS :: Both ASR and voice synthesis models could be trained from datasets containing Your recordings. Again, the recordings themselves will not be published.
- Public Dataset :: Your recordings will become part of a publicly available dataset. This is the most permissive option.
Note that in all cases, Your recordings will be anonymized and asides voluntary gender / age / zodiac sign / mother language information no metadata is collected.