[MUD-Dev] Re: (fwd) AD: [custom graphical] whitestar Crossfire MUD

[Chris Gray]

[Dr. Cat]

[Lots of analysis pointing to the conclusion that if someone wants the
maximum number of players using a custom client, then that client should
be written using the Microsoft MFC classes.]

The analysis probably makes sense for a commercial project. Many of the
projects on this mailing list are not commercial, however. I don't know
whether Crossfire is or not.

Personally, you would have to pay me a lot of money to go that route. The
folks at work are paying me to work on Windows NT for a port of our
software, but they are well aware that they are not going to get me to
do any GUI stuff. As a UNIX shop, we are also often quite frustrated with
the tools and facilities available. Part of this is simply a lack of
familiarity, but part is philosophical.

For my hobby (MUD) work, no-one is paying me anything, so I will be working
on my platform of choice, with the tools of my choice. In the past that
has been an Amiga, using my own compiler and editor. In the future, that
will be Linux, using Gnu tools. Since my system needs a custom client, I
have had to expand somewhat to provide that. I learned enough of the Amiga's
GUI stuff to do my client, but never went into the fancy stuff - that's
an area of computer programming that I have no interest in. I most
certainly do not want to learn X windows programming, MS Windows programming,
Mac GUI programming, etc. So, I'll do things in Java, so that I only have
to do it once. When my system stabilizes, I can release the specs of my
protocols between clients and server, and others can go write custom
clients (that was my plan before Java became practical).

I don't consider Windows 95 to be a viable platform for a server, and I'm
not convinced of Windows NT for that purpose either. That means that a
large portion of my work has to be done under UNIX. And, given my total
lack of interest in learning X windows programming, using Java is pretty
much required, so if that gets me lots of users out there in addition to
UNIX ones, that is a free bonus, from my point of view.

--
Chris Gray   cg at ami-cg.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA


--
MUD-Dev: Advancing an unrealised future.