[MUD-Dev] Threads

[Eli Stevens]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Chambers" <bjchambers at pheonixdsl.com>
To: <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 7:30 PM
Subject: [MUD-Dev] Threads


>      Some MUDs advertise a Player Thread and a Builder Thread.  What are
> the benefits of these, and why do people feel they are so good?

What I suspect that they are really advertising (stated confusingly) is that
they do not allow builders to work on the same process that players use
(multiple threads only exist inside a single process that controls their
lifespan, while processes can be stopped/started independently of each
other).  The server admin have two copies of the mud running on the server,
one that lets players connect and play and one that builders test their
creations on.

A possible benefit from all this is that if a builder codes a buggy script
or the like and it brings the builders' process to its knees, the players'
copy of the mud will be relatively unaffected (of course, if the buggy code
consumes all of the CPU or RAM, that will affect the players process, just
like any other program).  If that does happen, the builder process can be
killed, without upsetting the players (the builders, however... ;).  On the
flip side, if there are too many players on the mud for the server to
handle, the builder process may not be as lagged as it would if the same
server program were serving to both groups.

Another benefit is that it makes accidents (of the "oops, that weapon wasn't
supposed to be accessible to the players yet - we are not done balancing it"
type) less likely.  Usually area files and such that are under construction
would be stored in separate directory from the live mud, and careless
copying of files is less likely to happen than leaving a new area linked to
an existing one in-game.

Also, builders can code in quiet, without the usual barrage of OOC
questions, comments, complaints, compliments, etc.  Stuff like that.

HTH.  :)

--
> Eli Stevens <wickedgrey at wickedgrey.com> wrote:
> > What am I doing?  I'm typing to an empty computer.
> I don't understand...
'Cause there is a dead man on the other end of this email.


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