Re: [MUD-Dev] Custom Server Roll Call?

[Niklas Elmqvist <d97elm#dtek,chalmers.se>]

On Thu, 6 May 1999, Emil Eifrem wrote:

> Technically, our server design is heavily inspired by general
> discussions here on the MUD-Dev and particularly DevMUD list -- we use
> a modular architecture with separate code entities (modules) that can
> be dynamically attached and detached from a static kernel. I believe
> my implementation (or try at implementation) is maybe more object
> oriented than DevMUD and mainly inspired by early ideas from some OO
> proponents on the list (Niklas Elmqvist and others, IIRC).

Oooh! I'm honored! Yes, I *was* (and still am) heavily in favor of an OO
implementation of DevMUD, but I haven't done much on that project since my
first and only module contribution half a year ago (and my module wasn't
very novel anyway). It is with a certain amount of pride I can state that
I was one of the zealots that made Chris Gray come up with his current
cynical signature, right Chris? :)

Of course, I am still plotting and refining my OO server design, and hope
to be able to implement it someday. A lot of the feedback I got from the
list has made me do some significant changes to the better (I now use a
publish/subscribe scheme instead of a "water sprinkler", as Chris labelled
it).

> Lately I've beginning to doubt this modular approach. It sounds very good
> in concept and on an abstract level, but when you get down to some real
> code it's partly really messy and troublesome. 

Hehe, you don't see me *implement* this stuff, do you? 

> That's probably a result of flawed design decisions on my end, though,
> it's the first time I build a system of this magnitude. 

I guess the difference between good and bad design decisions is very slim
in this area -- do it just right, and you've got a real winner, but if
you're a little off, the results might be less-than-perfect. I'm not
critizing you in any way (I haven't seen your systems architecture), but
rather speaking from my own experience. Nowadays, I think I've outgrown
the start-coding-immediately syndrome and find design and analysis
extremely rewarding (almost TOO rewarding, in fact -- implementation does
not hold that certain thrill anymore).

> I've been toying with the idea of writing down my overall design
> decisions and post it to the list for comments but never gotten around
> to it.

Please do! I for one would be very interested.

[snip]

> Emil Eifrem [emil#prophecy,lu || www.prophecy.lu/~emil]
> Implementor of Prophecy [telnet://mud.prophecy.lu:4000]
> Coordinator of the Jamu effort [http://www.javamud.org]

-- Niklas Elmqvist (d97elm#dtek,chalmers.se) ----------------------
  - "Are you a physicist?"
  - "Me? I don't know anything about science!"
  - "Marvellous! Ideal qualification!"
           -- Terry Pratchett, Johnny and the Dead



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