Re: [Plastic-devs] Occasionally asked questions

[Noel W. <Noe...@ma...>]

I think this is a pretty good idea.

comments.
who?
   - describe a little more what VOTech is (Vo for Europe?) and as  
well as the main groups, mention Mark Taylor, and other individuals.

General

>  Is PLASTIC an AstroGrid product?
>
>     No! PLASTIC has been mainly developed by the VOTech consortium,  
> but others have contributed. AstroGrid's connection is that they  
> are a member of the consortium and have produced some "plasticized"  
> software such as the reference Plastic Hub.

it might be good to fill out this answer by listing all the work done  
by other organizations / individuals in and out of VOTech .

> s PLASTIC Java only?
>
>     No! PLASTIC is designed to be language and platform neutral.  
> Applications that understand PLASTIC have been written in C++,  
> Python, Perl, Tcl and Ruby.


you could add to this that no matter what language they're  
implemented in, they all work together. And that they've been  
demonstrated in public (adass) doing so. You could give a concrete  
example - visivo, Erik, topcat maybe. Isn't there even a flash movie  
of this somewhere?

>  Why does PLASTIC use Java-RMI then?
>
>     Java RMI is just one of the "transport protocols" available to  
> plasticized applications. It is there as a convenience to Java  
> programmers, recognising that many desktop applications are  
> currently being developed in Java.
>     [top]

I think you need to mention the other main transport protocol -  
XMLRPC - in the answer - and make it clear that RMI doesn't have any  
kind of 'special status'. In fact,  some applications written in java  
choose to use xmlrpc anyhow (topcat).

another thing to add to your faq - things that relates to the plastic  
manifesto and general philosophy of you plastic-devs chaps  - e.g.  
answers to 'why doesn't it encrypt messages', 'why doesn't it tunnel   
though firewalls',

Other questions to consider
'how can I download the source'
'can I use plastic to connect to servers',
'can I use plastic to control other people's desktop',
'why not use corba instead? / could plastic messages be sent over corba'
'why not use SOAP instead / could plastic messages be sent using SOAP?'
'why aren't the messages defined using XML schemas?'
' can I define new messages'
'what's the relationship between PLASTIC and AstroRuntime' (copy from
http://www2.astrogrid.org/desktop/astro-runtime/astroruntime-and- 
plastic if you find it agreeable).



Anyhow, looks good so far.

right - must get back to painting the house.
noel.


On 23 Nov 2006, at 12:48, John Taylor wrote:

> Hi All,
> PLASTIC has been getting a higher profile of late, especially since  
> ADASS, and I've noticed a few misconceptions about what it is and  
> what it does.   The two most common are that
> a) PLASTIC is an AstroGrid product.  I find this one particularly  
> annoying as it doesn't recognise the contributions made by Thomas  
> and Marco in particular, but I'm to blame as I've used PLASTIC to  
> pay my airfare to the last few meetings.  Ironically, I don't even  
> work for AstroGrid. (well, they don't pay me, anyway)
> b) PLASTIC is Java-only.  This is an understandable mix-up, given  
> that the majority of plasticized applications are indeed written in  
> Java, but this reflects the current technology choices of app  
> developers, it's nothing to do with PLASTIC.
>
> Do you think there's anything to be gained in having a prominent  
> FAQ on Plastic Central that addresses these issues as we encounter  
> them?
>
> I've made a rough start (attached, without css)  - if anyone wants  
> to add something (or indeed, thinks it's a rubbish idea), then let  
> me know.
>
> John
>
> PS
> Does anyone want/need write access to the website?  You only need  
> to ask....
>
>
> -- 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> --
> AstroGrid/VOTech
> &
> WFAU, Institute for Astronomy, Edinburgh
> Skype:johndavidtaylor <skype:johndavidtaylor?chat>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> --
> *Gratuitous advertising:*
> Plastic - http://plastic.sourceforge.net | AstroRuntime - http:// 
> www2.astrogrid.org/desktop
> AstroGrid - http://www.astrogrid.org | WFAU - http://www.roe.ac.uk/ 
> ifa/wfau/
> <faq.7110DEFANGED-html>
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