I predict that AOLServer will be gone within 10 years. Maybe 5 years.
People will say: "It was really good software. I do not know what
happened."
It does not have to turn out that way.
This is the second time in a year or so that I have seen this
discussion on this list. It always generates a lot of activity and
emotion. I believe that this is an indication that AOLServer is in
its death throes.
My friends, it does not have to turn out that way.
The problem with AOLServer is not technical. It is not related to the
people who work hard and unselfishly to develop the software. It is
not because it is lacking in features. Instead, the problem is that
it is not accessible.
Consider this:
"Junior Programmer, the IT guy at a non-profit, has been given the
task of setting up a web site that is easy to update, has a calendar
and event function, has a restricted area for board members to access
meeting reports, and allows users to register to receive a newsletter
delivered by email. Junior has installed the latest version of Linux
on his server. The installation software guided him through the
process and he bought a book that served as a reference. (You will be
shocked to learn that most people who manage servers are not
programming geniuses.). He installed qMail by downloading the
software and following the guidance in the qMail book he bought and
by going to the qMail web site where there are detailed instructions
covering the installation of the software. He installed D. J.
Bernstein's daemntools software by following the detailed
instructions on the web site.
Now, he wants to run a web server. He knows about Apache and has
heard about AOLServer. So, he Googles "Installing Apache" and
"Installing AOLServer." "
Guess which server software Junior decides to use. It is not AOLServer.
I think most people will agree that the popular and influential
religions all have a written document that explains themselves to
potential clients. The same is true for open source server software.
Several years ago there was talk about an AOLServer book. It never
materialized.
If you want this software to have a chance of surviving, you need to
write a document that explains the software to the unwashed masses.
It does not have to be exhaustive. Keep the 80:20 rule in mind: most
people will use only 20 percent of the software's features. Figure
out what those are and address them thoroughly. Leave the rest to the
developers and those with special needs.
Here is a starting point:
1. Introduction
Tell people what AOLServer does and how great it is. When they finish
this chapter, they should be convinced that this is the way to go.
2. History
AOLServer has a history. Tell people what it is. The history will
establish its bone fides and help sell the software.
3. Installation
This needs to be very detailed (remember Junior Programmer). Show how
to install the software on the major variants of Linux, MS Windows,
and Mac OS. Leave out the obscure operating systems.
Cover every step. Do not assume that Junior knows anything. Tell
Junior what folders to create and where to create them (Programming
Geniuses will know that they can do whatever they want, but Junior is
nervous and wants to have his hand held.)
Cover troubleshooting issues. You cannot cover everything, but there
are some common errors that should be discussed.
Give instructions on how to test the software.
4. Review the essential features
Do not just list them and assume that Junior will figure it out. Go
into detail and give examples.
Provide a complete list of configuration parameters and explain how
to use them
Cover ns_ functions. Talk about how to use them.
Cover tcl and its integration with AOLServer. Again, give examples.
There are others. Cover them.
5. Show how to use AOLServer to build web pages - that is what a web
server is for
This may be obvious, but including this is important.
Static web pages
Static and Dynamic web pages with tcl
Dynamic web pages with adp
The more examples, the better.
6. Cover the features everyone uses - this is the 20 percent of features
Cover how to connect to a database. Give examples.
Cover https. Give examples.
Cover virtual servers. Give examples.
There are more. Give lots of examples.
7. Advanced features
Talk about how to create c modules
Talk about how to contribute to the software
Talk about advanced features
That is it. I am sure that I missed some things, but you get the
picture.
Some of you will note that a lot of this information is out there.
That is probably true. The problem is that there is not a single
source for this information. Plus, as new versions of the software
have come out, the documentation has not caught up. The unwashed
masses want things to be accessible. Make it so, and they are more
likely to use it. As long as it is hard to use, no one will use it.
The format does not matter. It can be html, pdf, or paper.
Only someone who really knows AOLServer can create this document. It
will be a chore, but is must be done. I could not begin to write this
document. However, I will be happy to help edit it.
A document like this will not ensure AOLServer's success. But I can
promise you that without a document like this, AOLServer is doomed.
Good luck.
Thorpe
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