Re: [VANILLA-LIST:2585] Netrek Client Packaging Survey

[Kurt Siegl <007@freemail.at>]

Hi,

I'm now back from NASG, so I have time for some coding.

On Fri, 30 Jul 1999 you wrote:
>Do you think the client (COW 3.00) is ready for distribution to the
>freshmeat driven Linux newbie community, or should we at least make a
>few minor changes first to increase acceptance?
>
>Which of the following should be done before first release?
>Please mark "yes" or "no" for each.
>Read on for explanations.
>
>    - gnome menu entries,
>	- netrek newbie manual,
>	- netrek client,
>	- netrek web site,

I neither have redhat nore GNOME experience. 
But, I may do better KDE support :-)

>
>    - netrek client features,
>	- splash welcome,

You mean a little more than the text which is already displayed on the
COW login screen?

>	- first time warning to read newbie manual,

Cow has two options for automatically conecting to COW Web server
fetching the latest informations.

 [-L]   upgrade to Latest version (requires running netscape)
 [-V]   Version info and release notes (requires running netscape)

It may be used to connect to any other programs by setting the
	cowapi.h:extern char *wwwlink;
variable.

>	- metaserver list (GTK),
>	- twink buttons (GTK),
>	- menu bar (GTK),
>	- tooltips (GTK),

COW is available also as a shared lib version which may be run as
netscape plugin as well as part of any other system, but if we intend to
release an blessed version we should stick to static releases.

If its bundled with the server a shared lib release maybe embeded
as plugin within a training Web page will be kewl.

As for GTK, I haven't done any work here. GNOME doesn't work
on my system proper. (Didn't manage to get GNOME menues yet)

Due to the design of COW, it's very easy to replace the main file with
a GTK wrapper for adding all this neat options. That's what the cowapi
is good for.

>	- orphan keystrokes bound to tactical window,

I will see what I can do here, guess the simplest thing would be to add
a default keystoke handler for all keys not handled in this window. This
should be done easily.


>	- .xtrekrc editor.

For the next release I will at least prepare a cleaned up sample .xtrekrc file.

An editor is easily made if it generates the .xtrekrc file from scratch.
Adding back external user comments and modification is difficult.

Kurt (007)

--
Kurt Siegl / Franzberg 4, A-4483 Hargelsberg, Austria
Email: 007@netrek.org       Tel (ISDN):   *(7225)7017
URL:   http://www.ooenet.at/user/siegl/kurt/