[binarycloud-dev] Various

[Justin F. <je...@ey...>]

Alex:

This is just a potpourri of comments and questions.

First, it may be interesting for you that we have been
in a kind of festering turmoil as to what tools/system/API
to turn to for our web development.  We have looked to
some extent at most everything springing up in the open
source community.  All during this time it was always
tempting to attempt to roll our own.  We simply have
to get some order in our attempt to "Lego-ize" our sites
as we are continually reinventing the wheel and looking
for "that piece of code" that was somewhere, barely
remembering.

So, after reading the r2 "specification", this really
seemed right.  So we are waiting.  I wish to compliment
you on your very impressive concept and, so far, what
is in the CVS that we are now playing with.  I suppose
our only reservation is our worry that binarycloud
reaches that "critical mass" where basic modules are
going to be contributed, and "ported" from some of the
other systems.  We are certainly going to be doing this,
from Great Circle/Lat/Long/ZIP modules to maybe even
a dynamic report generator for MySQL.  It is hoped
that the module collection will allow, eventually,
slapping together a basic intranet quickly.

Just a couple of questions:

1.  We notice that you use bare variables in the hashes.
	We used to, by accident, when we left quotes off.
	I think bare variables are legal in Perl, but
	the question is -- IS THIS ON PURPOSE?  Maybe
	18 months ago I asked the PHP list if bare
	variables are "supported" since there was nothing
	in the manual to suggest that they were.  Rasmus
	replied that because of the mechanization of the
	symbol table, or some such, THEY WORK AS A SIDE
	EFFECT, but that "this behaviour is not guaranteed
	in the future".  Upshot, don't use bare variables
	if you don't want your code to blow up in 2003.

2.  Why do you return true from the modules->Init()
	and modules->Output?  Is this just good, knee-jerk
	practice right now, or is there some kind of
	"recovery" mechanism anticipated, say, in the
	future when the returns will be tested.

3. [Frivolous]  Do you want an email pointing out simple
	spelling errors/typos in content and comments?

So, we again wish to compliment you, and encourage you.
It is an impressive piece of work.

Regards,

-- 
Justin Farnsworth - Technical Director
Eye Integrated Communications
321 South Evans - Suite 203
Greenville, NC 27858 | Tel: (252) 353-0722