The future of PBW - a call to arms

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Do we think that a bunch of threads here in the Shrapnel forum is the best place for this? I was thinking one sticky thread here to keep the public aware of what's going on, and a link to another forum somewhere where we can organize things more to our liking. Plus we probably need some method of uploading files, which we don't have here. I am fairly confident Fyron would be happy to give us room on his site for a forum. Depending on how we go about it we may need a dedicated site though with whatever software controls the check out of the code in progress. I am pretty sure that would be easily gotten somewhere, but not here.

Geo is right that a design or programming team is going to need some facilities that these forums don't provide. On the other hand, I would like to think that the team can hold discussions in public. I think there's certain, welcome, level of accountability implicit in the idea that the potential Users of the system can follow what the developers are doing. And some of them may be interested, but unable to take part. Why split off into a private forum?

Everyone who plays SEIV has a stake in this process. Certainly we'll need to ask people to stay on-topic in certain forums, but why exlude anyone?

Just a thought.

Mark

[geoschmo]

I didn't mean to exclude anyone. My preferance would be for whatever forum we have to be open at least for reading and posting comments by anyone. My thought was just to allow us to organize the forum into different threads and whatnot that we can't really do effectivly here.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Mark the Merciful:
Can I just throw in the suggestion that maybe we just need to overhaul (and document, and arrange for long-term maintenance) the current system?

This is certainly an admirable goal. The open-source aspect of it may not be an option though in that regard since as I stated before, the code belongs to Admiral. I can ask him how he feels about making it open source, but I can't make any promises.

[Gandalf Parker]

I think that the gathering of information as to who is available and their backgrounds is still a good idea also. Overhauling PBW would be great, if we get permission and if we have people who can do that. Its both "ifs" that need answering.

[Cipher7071]

Mark is right about one thing: our first goal should be to get permission to examine the code, do a little head-scratching, and see if we can't figure out what's gone wrong with it. At least we should be able to identify which blocks/modules contain the problems. With any luck, the programmer has left a few notes.

A complete rewrite is only necessary where the code is undecipherable. Even in that case, it still sounds as though much of it is going to be reusable.

[ June 08, 2004, 21:27: Message edited by: Cipher7071 ]

[Roanon]

Even if we can get the code and "decipher" it, it may be a wise move to build a new modular system from scratch. The old code might be to clogged up to be maintained properly, and most likely has other design principles.
We should start to agree on a language and database, like PHP/mySQL. Someone start a poll please. Then we could start a thread to define a database structure, and which modules should be done to allow for basic functionality. Nothing else. Then who will give which modules a first shot, and build a new system parallel to the old one without interfering with the old or any repair that might be going on there.
As soon as the code is basically working and has undergone basic testing, we can transfer the data to the new system, at a time when at least one competent programmer with time at hands is available to do Last-minute bugfixes.
This all should be done as soon as possible.

When the old system has been totally replaced, we can start to add extra goodies, nice graphics, and features not needed for basic playing. For this, we can take as much time as we want to discuss what to add and how to do, as the basic modular design should allow to insert additions with little effort. This is not so with the current system, I guess.

[tesco samoa]

Hi.

The current system must be kept up and running before the new system can take over.

This is the reality of the situation.

the other reality is that the system needs to be updated.

This is a task that will happen.

For the current system will be obsolete in a year or two anyways.

So the future of PBW calls for a new system.
IMHO.

As the upcoming lead administrator for the pbw system. I am fully aware that this responsibilty falls upon me to determine if this is the proper path for the pbw community to take. Or if it will be come a time to call it a day.

Currently this topic is being tossed around between GEO and myself.

The other pbw admins are doing everything they can to get the system back up and running.

Soon they box will be traveling to my house.

Then I will be asking geo for his help......

These are the realities of what is going to happen.

More info will follow.

But i want to clear with everyone that I do not want to see PBW die off in 2 or 3 months because the system cannot be fixed.

But it could happen.


As for the development of a new system.


I am going to take the lead on that.


Reason is because I will have the box. And ultimately the responsiblity will fall upon me because of that reason.


I do hope that i can live up to the level that geo set over the Last two years.


And I do thank him ( my wife doesn't) for all the enjoyment that pbw has offered.

Simon