[MUD-Dev] Re: An Introduction

[Jeroen Ruigrok/Asmodai]

Chris Gray wrote:
> 
> [Jeroen Ruigrok:]
> 
>  >When developing a Multi-User Environment, do you find knowledge of how operating
>  >systems work handy? I mean, as far as I see it now, a lot of status flags, Inter
>  >Proces Communication and user interoperability resembles the way modern
>  >operating systems work. I am
>  >currently delving into the book Modern Operating Systems 2nd Ed. by Andrew S.
>  >Tanenbaum and find many similiarities between mud operations and Operating
>  >Systems. Any thoughts on this matter?
> 
> I agree with this. The lower level parts of a MUD server basically
> provide a number of services to a bunch of clients, and maintain the
> illusion of servicing all of them at the same time. The MUD usually
> also has background activities happening (NPC activities and other
> timed or randomly triggered events).

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant... I just wonder if we would be good for OS
programming too then?  =)
What do you (as the MUD-Dev list) commonly use for status control? Flags, chars,
bitmasks or other genious inventions? 

Also a remark, we find (at least I do) OS's nice because of their layering
model, but thus far I haven't been seeing that on MUDs yet. To explain what I
mean, just think about the kernel and what gets loaded on top. Any corrections
to my statement?
 
>  >Also, which books are recommended to start with network programming, preferably
>  >TCP/IP based and for C/C++. Also, if ye know of an OS independant booktitle, it
>  >would be preferred, as I am at the moment working on Windows NT, and have to
>  >wait with installing FreeBSD when my extra HD arrives...
> 
> I wouldn't worry too much about which OS you are working on, so long
> as you keep your goals in mind. If you want to write a server that
> will port to UNIX as well as Windows NT, just avoid using things that
> are specific to the Win32 API. The simplest way to do that is to do
> everything through the older winsock-1 calls, and the compatibility
> libraries. Don't use any system functions whose names start with a
> capital letter (the specific Win32 functions). Also, either don't use
> any of the myriad typedefs that the MS environment uses, or keep them
> hidden inside a header file of your own, so that you can replace them
> with something else for other systems. By these things, I mean all the
> stuff like DWORD, LPVOID, LPCSTRING, etc. etc. Also watch out for any
> of the language extensions that MS has, such as using unions from
> inside of structs without the enclosing tags.

Hmmm, any ideas on where to find some sort of lists, either on the web or as
book, on the differences in UNIX/Windows programming? Or to put it in other
words, to stay as platform independant as possible without using Java =) But any
ideas on Network programming titles? Also, I have K&R's C Handbook 2nd Ed. Any
suggestions for another supplemental C book? One that goes slightly further?

Be well,
 
--
Jeroen Ruigrok van der Werven / Asmodai <asmodai(at)wxs.nl>
ICQ-UIN: 1564317 .:. Ninth Circle Enterprises
Network/Security Specialist

>From the Tides of Hell, I sprang forth...
Heaven can wait 'till another day...