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

[Jon Leonard]

On Mon, Nov 02, 1998 at 04:16:56PM -0800, J C Lawrence wrote:

[Open Source project structures as applied to DevMUD]

[http://www.kanga.nu/halloween.html stuff snipped -- go read it]

> Alan Cox has written a differently themed but equally useful and
> insightful analysis for a Slashdot article:
> 
>   http://slashdot.org/features/98/10/13/1423253.shtml
> 
> Key points: We have a lot of blather and no code.  We have no benign
> dictators (and I'm not volunteering).  In summary we have much hot
> air, exercised keyboards, and no product.

Oh, I'm happy to volunteer (as I've said before).  The questions are:

1) Is there a better choice for "dictator" (project maintainer)?

2) Are there problems with my (or the, depending) vision of the project?

3) Is the project vision interesting enough to others to work on too?

I think the answers are no, no, and yes.  I just don't think the discussion
period is quite closed yet.  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.

I think we have a lot of blather, but it's mixed with useful insights.
And no code?  I do have a running prototype.  If nothing else goes
anywhere, I'll be evolving it into something more useful.  I have a
pretty good idea of how much work is involved -- I've written a server
(but not a full mudlib) from scratch before.

> This needs to change.  

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.

Jon Leonard