The Open Debate Engine is the same of the software project that has been developed by former debater Greg Schnippel to run Spacedebate.org. What is Spacedebate.org?

“Spacedebate.org is an effort to expand the debate on the weaponization of space through a collaborative wiki-like tool for structured debate on a topic. The project is modeled after Wikipedia, but instead of focusing on developing an encyclopedia it invites users to help edit and expand an ‘argument tree’ that reflects the various positions in the debate over U.S. military space policy. Users can browse the argument tree or an extensive database of resources, including links to relevant news articles, authoritative quotes, and a comprehensive bibliography of sources.

The project is part of a larger effort, nicknamed the ‘Open Debate Engine’, which hopes to create a hybrid wiki platform that will be conducive to handling larger policy debate topics.”

Very cool stuff. We hope to talk with Greg more about the project. It would be fun to see the software implemented for a variety of topics. The FAQ is quite helpful in explaining the project.