The future of PBW - a call to arms

[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

[Roanon]

Originally posted by tesco samoa:
As for the development of a new system.


I am going to take the lead on that.

Ok, then please start organizing. As I wrote in my message, I think that a basic, functioning system should be developed independent of the status and repair trials on the old system, while it is still running. Soon.

[Ed Kolis]

Sorry about posting this here, but there doesn't seem to be a suggestions thread - I just thought, what with Ruatha's program interfacing with PBW and also loading the PBW site in a Windows form, that suggests that maybe PBW2 should be designed from the ground up as a Web Service - I don't know if the term is unique to the .NET Framework, but what a Web Service is, is basically a set of functionality that can be accessed over the web from any sort of client program - it could be a dynamic website running in a browser, or it could be a Windows application, or a Linux application, or whatever you want.
Thus, to make it concrete, PBW2 might have a "game" class, which would have functions like "add player" and "process turn"; those functions would be what is called by the client. Basically, it's the same as the current system, only with a middle layer in between the user and SE4 to make the PBW functionality easily accessible to a wider range of clients than just the standard web site.
Granted, I've never written a web service before, but as I've mentioned, I have done some programming with ASP.NET, and web services seem to be the next step up, so I should be learning about them soon in school... and from what I hear they're not all that complicated anyway

I've just been reading the threads on the PBW emergency server (do a search on "emergency server" to find the relevant stuff). Question for everyone involved, especially Ruatha; is this ready to run should PBW die completely, and could it be a useful starting point for the new project?

Mark