Re: [zzdev] Re: [zzdev] ZZDEV Problems

[Andy McFarland <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> >>The second point I'd like to make is that it IMO we've gotten to the point
> >>where we need to break zigzag.pm into seperate pieces.

I'm not sure zigzag.pm is too large.  the script and the module were
only recently 
separated and I think some artifacts remain (the script still opens the
database?)

I'd really like to see the front and back ends separated from each other
by a network connection.  The back end is the ZigZag server written in
perl and the front end is something else somewhere else.  Here we get a
collabarative enviroment and a client cabable of using the hosts display
cababilities to the full.

The problem with all of this is that Andrew is already maxed-out trying
to implement the squillions of ideas that he and Ted have worked out
already. Maybe ZZ version 2?

> >Sorry for being gone for so long, but other matters have been getting in
> >the way. After my talk with Marlene, I had promised to try and work on the
> >prototype Windows 95/98 installation package, and I should be free to do so

yey! another windows user! - this post get's windowsey from here on...

> >For now, I'm using ActivePerl 1.0 (build 509), which is supposed to be BC
> >with Sarathy's port. Since its under the Community Liscense, it supposedly

I had bad experiences a while back with ActivePerl.  I found the
Gurusamy build a lot easier to use and more compatible with the Unix
version. The trouble is - Gurusamy now works for Activestate so I guess
we'd better start using their build.  I hope he's made it better.

> >First off, when we're ready to do so, I assume we'll want a self-installing
> >system a la InstallShield. In order to do this, I'll need to know what
> >we'll be bundling together with the program. For example, will we want to
> >have it autoinstall Perl (or offer the option to do so), or should we
> >assume that the user has already installed it (or can install it later)? In

tricky question.  Most Unix users are familier with installing extra
librarys in order to get something to work (or they know a guru that
can).

Most windows users will not have perl installed or know what CPAN is. 
Is it possible to take just bits of the ActiveState package and
re-package them?  If so then could you make an install that contains
eveything that you need to make ZigZag run?  This makes things easy for
the user and gives you control of which version of perl / shared
library's are installed - it might make for a bigger install but how big
was your system directory last time you looked?

Cheers,

Andy.