[DotGNU]Forum goes Ruby (and active)

[Peter Minten]

Hi folks,

I'm currently putting some work into Forum to get the project up and running. To
do that I will code the server not in C# but in Ruby. The main advantage is that
Ruby already has the libs that I need (Jabber, XML-RPC) so that I can start
putting theory into practice. This does not mean that C# is not an option
anymore, there are still plans for a C# client (and a C client and a Ruby client
and an Emacs client).

At the moment I'm putting up mailing lists, getting the first basic server up
and creating the first text mode client. It will take a while however before I
reach the stage that the actual job of Forum (simultaneous multiuser editing
with transuser interaction) can be developed. The first stages of development
will be about setting up a server that can take commands using XML-RPC and using
a human understandable language (to allow controlling some things from the
chatbox).

The protocol Forum will use is XML-RPC wrapped in Jabber, it will be in
compliance with the Jabber standard for that. It has to be noted however that
most clients aren't completely server controlled (the clients are executables on
the users box which can act independent of the server).

The rought plan for development looks like this at the moment:

1. Construct the Jabber XML-RPC lib (the XML-RPC lib I have only works for HTTP
so I will have to redefine it's methods to make it Jabber compatible).
2. Create a server which understands nodes and can track users entering and
exiting nodes.
3. Create a basic client and app to work with this server.
4. Extend the server and client to full functionality.
5. Add more apps and more clients (for example the Emacs client).

Greetings,

Peter

PS: The change from C# to Ruby has nothing to do with Portable.NET, I'm just fed
up with the restrictions C# imposes on programmers. Ruby offers much more
freedom in expressing my thoughts.