Re: [Blocks-development] Strange direction for Blocks: "building-blocks" :)

[Blat F. <pet...@ho...>]

>From: "Michael Spencer Jr." <bl...@ms...>
>To: <blo...@li...>
>Subject: [Blocks-development] Strange direction for Blocks:  
>"building-blocks" :)
>Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 23:50:17 -0500
>
>OK, I had a crazy idea.  This might not be appropriate for Blocks, but it's
>certainly relevant to the problem Blocks tries to solve.
>
>Idea in short:  filesharing system is specified in layers roughly according
>to the OSI model.  Each layer is specified by an interpreted scripting
>language.
>
>Detail:
>
[snip]
>
>What do you guys think?

If I read correctly:

You are making the assuption that since Blocks, GNUtella,
Napster, and maybe even FTP, HTTP, etc. all do the same
thing it would be possible to encpsulate all that
functionality in some common interface. However, since the
interface is a bit fuzzy a scripting language will help
fill in the gaps as well as allow people on the net to
expand the support to other protocols. A sort of file
shareing Emacs without the sandals :)

A few high level observations:

* It would have to be a really high level interface...
  GetFile(), PutFile(), FindFiles() etc, and it would
  be difficult to add complex features like resuming
  without making it pretty complex.

* Why not just write it in perl then perl hackers can
  extend it? That having been said, I have created a
  scripting language and Ive been looking for somewhere
  to use it for ages :)

* In order for the scripting language to be able to have
  customised GUIs for different protocols (config etc)
  it would require the scripting language to have
  GUI commands. In essence we would have to create something
  akin to Visual Basic which would be no trivial task.
  It might be possible to have a static GUI, but if we
  know everything it needs to do then why do we need
  scripting?

* The layers wouldnt be the same as the ISO model, there
  would be less. I'd be iterested to see a list of the
  layers you are suggesting.

* Why not use a browser as the front end and Java as the
  scripting language :)

Just my $0.02 worth,

Its 10am I need coffee :)

ttfn

PG.




_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at 
http://profiles.msn.com.