[SNG-chat] Let's start something up (was: Re: [epona] Epona "is this the end")
Status: Planning
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From: Daniele N. (J. <jo...@so...> - 2003-01-23 17:56:16
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(from the epona ml) Gioved=EC, 23 gen 2003, alle 18:31 Europe/Rome, Lucas Nussbaum ha = scritto: > nobody with enough coding > skills willing to take the role of project leader. All the potential > developpers are looking at each other waiting and thinking "I'll let > them start, then I'll help". =3D> many super-contributors, but no = coding > team. So, here we are again. I think that the main reason for people not starting anything (apart=20 from a possible lack of time) is that no one knows exactly what=20 language this is going to use. Lucas proposed Java, others didn't agree. His arguments about Java=20 being currently faster than the past, and machine-compilable, just=20 didn't convince others (I must admit I'm personally not sure). So, I'm going to give my usual two cents about this thing, hoping that=20= others will at least contribute in this discussion, which, we hope, is=20= going to decide what language this stuff is going to be written in.=20 Otherwise I'll start doing something in Python myself. :) ---8<--- ** Why Java would be good for services ** - Fast to develop - Easy to mantain - Compilable into machine code to run as fast as C stuff - Runnable through a Java Virtual Machine ** Why Java would not be good for services ** - It could probably be slower than C - Installing a recent JRE to make services live in a fast JVM would=20 probably be too tricky, if not impossible, in some configurations - Installing gcc 3.x to compile Java stuff into native machine code=20 would probably be even worse This is because many machines running irc services are often used for=20 other stuff, and they just can't afford the risk of upgrading the JRE=20 (they could be using java for some stuff that can't be interrupted), or=20= even worse, upgrading to gcc 3.x to compile services. Upgrading gcc=20 could even mean, in the most Armageddon-like situation, that the whole=20= system ends up being messed up by accidental overwriting of libraries.=20= It's a possibility, although it's improbable. But it's still possible. ** Alternatives ** The most praised alternative to Java would be C++, even though C++=20 would be a PITA(TM). It inherits all the bad things of C, multiplied by=20= the tricky use of classes. This means that coders would lose=20 significantly more time playing around with pointers and references=20 than writing real code. This isn't very productive, but could be eased=20= by writing a good interface base to the internal services system. Maybe=20= C would make servicesng a bit easier to develop than C++. Other possible alternaives that I could think of would be interpreted=20 languages, such as Perl of Python, but I'm not taking them into the=20 discussion because most people would think that they wouldn't fit. I=20 mean, they'd probably work fine anyway, since we're not computing prime=20= numbers or something like that, but the only way to see how good (or=20 bad) they scale is just a matter of checking AFTER the whole thing is=20 done. Anyway, between Perl and Python I'd choose Python without a second=20 thought. It's easier to read, to develop and to mantain, and I could=20 help myself. And we could write the killer functions in C for the sake=20= of speed. Anyone interested, have a look at=20 <http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=3D3882>. --->8--- Regards --=20 Daniele Nicolucci (Jollino) - jo...@so... IRC Operator on Discussioni.Org (www.discussioni.org) |