Xref: utzoo comp.mail.misc:916 news.misc:1263
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!oberlin!blandy
From: blandy@oberlin.UUCP (isjimblandy)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.misc,news.misc
Subject: Re: Worlds best Bulletin Board Systems - let's all make it!
Message-ID: <707@oberlin.UUCP>
Date: 18 Mar 88 19:07:22 GMT
References: <612@ambush.UUCP>
Organization: Computer Science Program, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
Lines: 41
Keywords: BBS
Summary: Arbitrary and expandable file formats for
	 expansion/adaptation

One of the things I'd like to see in a BBS (I'm not a sysop, but I've
seen a bad BBS and I'm a programmer) is some way of teaching the BBS
about different file formats and how to do the basic operations on
those new kinds of files.  

Adapting to old formats isn't really the point.  But if one BBS could
gracefully (no hacks, no rewriting) read its native files, AND handle
the files from your old BBS, AND, say, act as a USENET reader, all
transparently, I think that would be A Good Thing.  

How?

First, choose a few simple, basic, powerful operations- organize the
boards in a hierarchy (sp?), define List, Up and Down operations, Get
a particular message, Add a particular message, Delete a message,
Access levels, etc.  Write your BBS using ONLY this set of
operations.  

Then, let each individual board indicate how IT likes to be accessed.
Maybe a jump table or something simple.  Maybe a server process or
something complex.  But as long as it provides as much of the above
list of operations as it can, you can do anything you like.  

But the idea is this:  your system DOESN'T CARE how the files are
organized.  As long as it uses the functions provided for the
particular board, it can do everything it wants, and the files will
stay consistent, no matter how heterogenous your set of boards
actually are.  

It's the idea behind object-oriented programming - you know that this
thing you've got supports a few simple operations, but you don't
worry about HOW; the thing in question can accomplish your requests
however it needs.

Extensible software - the way to go.  Look at Emacs (certain
implementations), VAX TPU, Hypercard.
-- 
Jim Blandy                       /oo\      "Insects were insects when
OCMR Box 265, Oberlin OH 44074  /`--'\      man was just a burbling
sjb1392@oberlin.bitnet          \_][_/      whatsit."  - archy
...{ihnp4,bellcore}!oberlin!blandy