Re: [Freeciv-Dev] Client-side API

[David Pfitzner <dwp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"F.Schaefer" <fransch@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I recently read on the www.freeciv.org page something like
> 
> > Client-side API: 
> >        Designing an API to separate the client code into front-end UI code
> and back-end comms code. Having this is essential to the future of client-side
> AI's, and also to solving the client integrity problem.
> 
> Isn't this just a problem of the serialization of the packet structs ?

I don't think so, since the serialization of the packet structs 
is already done.  

> Oh dear, why don't we take just java and everything is done. 

Feel free to try to re-start the freeciv Java client project.
(See the projects page, and it even has a mailing list.)  Last
I heard the project was stalled due to not enough people with
enough time.

The reasons freeciv itself isn't in language <insert preference here>
have been discussed before.  Key factors to keep in mind are that
the current code is in C, and the current developers know C.

Of course freeciv is free software, and you have the choice to
try to "port" freeciv to some other language.  But as far as the 
"project" (that is, the current group of people) is concerned, 
I think the main focus should and will stay with the C code, 
perhaps until/unless someone (or some group) actually does a 
viable port to some other language.  Why?  Because the C code 
exists and can be incrementally hacked on _now_, while attempting 
a port (or re-write) would be a relatively high risk project.

Regards,
-- David