Re: [Bug-gnubg] Three things that are broken

[Øystein Johansen]

Christian Anthon wrote:
> - Python support 
> a) It is buggy
> b) Nobody, even among the developers use it regularly.
> c) It will never be used by a very large fraction of the users.
>
> - Time controls
> a) it doesn't work out of the box
> b) it crashes (at least for me)
> c) It will never be used by a very large fraction of the users.
>
> - Player records
> a) the player records are under featured
> b) the relational database requires some setup and is overkill in its
> construction
> c) It is used by a large fraction of our users
>
> So what do you think? My personal preference is that we terminate python
> support and time controls. And I prefer the relational database, but it
> needs some adjustments, especially if we get rid of python support.

What? only three things that's broken? ;-)

Time controls - agreed! I vote for removing this. Even though time 
control is more and more common in tournaments, the use for it in a 
computer program is actually limited. And, if we agree on removing it, 
it can be reintroduced at a later time. (I'm actually voting for 
removing as many features as possible, such that we can do some good 
refactoring in the code without getting to many unexpected cascade 
effects. (or bugs, as the technical term is.) )

Python support - I use this time to time. Python is nice glue.
See for example how easy you can connect it to a distant system through 
Python and XMLRPC.

Just do in GNU Backgammon:
>
from SimpleXMLRPCServer import SimpleXMLRPCServer
server = SimpleXMLRPCServer(("localhost", 1234))
server.register_instance(gnubg)
server.serve_forever()

Then in an other window or IPython or PythonWin (or even an another 
machine) do this:

import xmlrpclib
s = xmlrpclib.Server('http://localhost:1234')  # or whatever your host is...

s.command("new match 5")
..
.
.
and so on

Python is really good as glue, but I really think you're right. It may 
be removed. At least temporary.

Player records - I don't use it and I don't care. I know some players do 
use it. However there should be only one player record and that must the 
be the relational database record system. However this requires Python 
... ehhh.....

Other stuff on my list that can be removed:
- gdbm support and training....
- Sconyers database support/bearoff database support
- Egyptian rule
- Export to formats that really seldom used ie. LaTeX and Postscript, 
and maybe even pdf. (Even though I would love to use gnubg to typeset 
recorded matches.)
- I can think of more if I get to sleep now.

-Øystein