First step would be to identify various possibilities for running AOLserver on Windows within some kind of minimal VM that's not a full VM (or other option that will meet requirements in some way). I mentioned WINE as an example of the type of capability that I think would be ideal; WINE allows Windows code to run on Linux without a VM by intercepting the calls to the OS and servicing them with code that makes the app think it's on Windows. We would be looking for the reverse -- a container that runs on Windows, intercepts calls to the OS from the encapsulated app, and services them so the app thinks it's on a Unix type system. If memory serves me well, Cygwin is a compilation environment that provides Unix-style APIs on Windows so Unixy code compile on Windows and runs on Windows without extensive mods to the Unixy style code. That or another compilation environment sounds promising, but I'm hoping there is some kind of runtime container that can run a Linux or other Unix executable on without requiring that the encapsulated app (AOLserver) be (re)compiled on the Windows OS directly, kind of like how starkits can package up Tcl apps with the interp and all the necessary runtime stuff in one file.
/s. On Sep 26, 2012, at 12:53 PM, jgdavid...@mac.com wrote: > > That's a smart next step. Anybody want to tackle it and report back? I > don't have the knowledge and am a bit biased :) > > -Jim > > > > On Sep 26, 2012, at 10:48 AM, Scott Goodwin <sc...@scottg.net> wrote: > >> I would be surprised if we reached a yes or no consensus on removing Windows >> support directly within the code since some number of people want to or are >> required to use Windows for reasons similar to ones Rusty has provided. >> Before debating such a yes or no decision, I would encourage exploring >> options to enable AOLserver to run on Windows with the Windows-specific code >> removed. I realize it's a non-starter for some to install Linux or other >> Unix flavor as a guest OS on Windows within an all-Windows shop, but perhaps >> there's a way to encapsulate AOLserver in a WINE-like container so that it >> runs as an application on Windows without requiring a full VM. I'm by no >> means an expert in this area, but it seems identifying various options that >> exist or could exist and discussing and testing those should come first. If >> there is a way to run under Windows without Windows code in the codebase, >> and it meets Rusty's and others' Windows enclave requirements, then the >> decision becomes obvious. Seems like this research would make a fine basis >> for someone to do their thesis on, or submit as a Google SOC proposal. >> >> /s. >> >> >> On Sep 26, 2012, at 11:10 AM, Rusty Brooks wrote: >> >>> Would windows still be supported via something like cygwin? If so then I >>> guess I'm OK with this. I have not used AOLServer under windows much, but >>> when I did, it was because I *had* to. Not having windows support would >>> have sucked a lot. >>> >>> Rusty >>> >>> On Sep 26, 2012, at 10:07 AM, jgdavid...@mac.com wrote: >>> >>>> Every few years we talk about what's next for the strategic direction of >>>> AOLserver which is great. In addition to the ideas below (which are >>>> cool), I always bring up this question: Should we dump the Windows port >>>> in favor of a clean Unix code base, configure, build, and install? >>>> >>>> I wrote most of that weird Windows code, including the goofy nsconfig >>>> stuff. Some of it was curious, maybe even clever, but in the end it was a >>>> distraction. It's impact on the config/build process in particular was >>>> pretty significant. Today's Linux and OS/X environments are so much more >>>> amenable to Aolserver, with threaded Tcl ready to go, gcc/make all pretty >>>> stable. It wasn't like that in the early days! For me, a purge of the >>>> Windows code and then an aggressive scan for anything still not 64-bit >>>> compatible and cleanly build-able using standard configure/gcc/gmake tools >>>> would be quite refreshing :) >>>> >>>> -Jim >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 26, 2012, at 7:47 AM, Cesáreo García Rodicio <cesa...@cesareox.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi all, >>>>> >>>>> Firstly, thanks so much for your work. A lot of us are using aolserver >>>>> everyday so this is welcome !! >>>>> >>>>> I'm not a hard developer but in my projects it's been hard students to >>>>> install and use aolserver). And I think it's because documentation and >>>>> installation: >>>>> 1. TCL API and Config Files >>>>> 2. "Packaged Installation" (batteries included) >>>>> 3. Some Case Studies and Complete Examples with API (something simple). >>>>> >>>>> Only some ideas. Great Work! >>>>> Cesáreo >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> El 25/septiembre/12 05:29, Jeff Rogers escribió: >>>>>> Hi all, >>>>>> >>>>>> There should be a 4.5.2 final release sometime soon, but what comes >>>>>> next? I've been organizing my wishlist of what I'd like to see in >>>>>> future AOLserver releases and I'm throwing it out there for anyone else >>>>>> to add to or comment on. These are not in any particular order; some >>>>>> are half-baked, some are straightforward, and some are little more than >>>>>> speculation. I know development hands are a bit short these days, but >>>>>> maybe people will find something that interests them to work on. >>>>>> >>>>>> Core features: >>>>>> - support chunked postdata >>>>>> - api for filter unregistration >>>>>> - core async delivery >>>>>> currently possible by transferring conn socket to tcl event loop. >>>>>> Would be nice to make it work for everything, by default. >>>>>> - re-queue api >>>>>> extension of pre-queue filters and quewait api: allow a conn thread >>>>>> to send a request back to quewait for network i/o. >>>>>> - move encoding and compression to filters >>>>>> - general-purpose worker-pool api >>>>>> - external prebinding >>>>>> allow an external program to bind ports and specify open file >>>>>> descriptors on the command line; would allow privileged port binding >>>>>> with no root privileges for actual server. Would also allow restarting >>>>>> without closing listen socket. >>>>>> - pre-start request service >>>>>> have a micro server that responds to requests with "please wait" >>>>>> while server is starting. Helpful for long start-up sequences. >>>>>> >>>>>> Core tcl: >>>>>> - replace various c-coded file commands with tcl equivalents (e.g., >>>>>> ns_mkdir, ns_unlink). Main benefit is clean handling of utf8 filenames. >>>>>> - Support a 2-phase interp initialization. Phase 1 is defining procs / >>>>>> loading packages, which is replicated in every new interp. Phase 2 is >>>>>> initializing persistent data, preloading caches, setting up filters and >>>>>> handlers, etc; things that are not replicated in every new interp. >>>>>> >>>>>> Nsdb: >>>>>> - add variable binding to nsdb >>>>>> - add lob handling to nsdb >>>>>> - support runtime db pool configuration >>>>>> >>>>>> Protocols: >>>>>> - SPDY >>>>>> - websockets >>>>>> I have a vague notion of how both of these could work. But it needs >>>>>> somewhat more than that :) >>>>>> >>>>>> Documentation: >>>>>> - Yes, please. >>>>>> >>>>>> Packaging: >>>>>> - more config examples >>>>>> - examples of various features >>>>>> - configuration through web browser >>>>>> - "batteries-included" distribution (binaries including perhaps sqlite, >>>>>> zlib, openssl, a few simple web apps, maybe php, perl, ...?) >>>>>> - single-file mountable packages, like tclkits >>>>>> >>>>>> Community: >>>>>> - dogfood website >>>>>> It'd be really nice if aolserver.com actually ran on aolserver. It's >>>>>> hosted on sourceforge currently so probably not much chance of that as >>>>>> it stands, but who knows. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Anything else to add? >>>>>> >>>>>> -J >>>>>> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>>>>> Live Security Virtual Conference >>>>>> Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and >>>>>> threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions >>>>>> will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware >>>>>> threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> aolserver-talk mailing list >>>>>> aolserver-talk@lists.sourceforge.net >>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/aolserver-talk >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>>>> Live Security Virtual Conference >>>>> Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and >>>>> threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions >>>>> will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware >>>>> threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> aolserver-talk mailing list >>>>> aolserver-talk@lists.sourceforge.net >>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/aolserver-talk >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>>> Live Security Virtual Conference >>>> Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and >>>> threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions >>>> will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware >>>> threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> aolserver-talk mailing list >>>> aolserver-talk@lists.sourceforge.net >>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/aolserver-talk >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> How fast is your code? >>> 3 out of 4 devs don\\\'t know how their code performs in production. >>> Find out how slow your code is with AppDynamics Lite. >>> http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;262219672;13503038;z? >>> http://info.appdynamics.com/FreeJavaPerformanceDownload.html >>> _______________________________________________ >>> aolserver-talk mailing list >>> aolserver-talk@lists.sourceforge.net >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/aolserver-talk >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> How fast is your code? >> 3 out of 4 devs don\\\'t know how their code performs in production. >> Find out how slow your code is with AppDynamics Lite. >> http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;262219672;13503038;z? >> http://info.appdynamics.com/FreeJavaPerformanceDownload.html >> _______________________________________________ >> aolserver-talk mailing list >> aolserver-talk@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/aolserver-talk > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ How fast is your code? 3 out of 4 devs don\\\'t know how their code performs in production. 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