[MUD-Dev] Re: DevMUD considerations and the Halloween article

[J C Lawrence <claw#under,engr.sgi.com>]

On Mon, 2 Nov 1998 23:11:27 -0800 
Jon Leonard<jleonard#divcom,slimy.com> wrote:

> I just don't think the discussion period is quite closed yet.  

Agreed.

> If our esteemed list owner thinks we've passed the point of
> diminishing returns on discussion before code, then I'd be happy
> to start coding based on my (somewhat undescribed) understanding
> of the design goals.

Not my contention -- there is however a large process and mindset
shift in moving from discussion of abstracts to attempted
implementation in a cohesive and functional design.  That disconnect
can and has been the death of many a project: lotsa noise on the
mailing list but nothing actually happened.

I suspect that starting implementation work before the other bits
have been hashed out will allow both JWZ-style "good enough but not
quite" design work _and_ for the discussion to make the bridge
between the current gum flapping and the real work on the new lists.
Specifically what I want to prevent here is, "Okay, we've got all
that hashed out and <somebody_else> is going to go do it.  What's
the next thread on MUD-Dev?"

> Despite Alan Cox's warning about discussing issues for a month
> before coding, I still think a little more discussion is called
> for.  Semantic properties of an in-game language are comparatively
> undiscussed, for example.

Agreed.  I'd like to see the other pot (code) at least starting to
warm however.

-- 
J C Lawrence                               Internet: claw#kanga,nu
(Contractor)                              Internet: coder#kanga,nu
---------(*)                     Internet: claw#under,engr.sgi.com
...Honourary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...