Comments on: RebTalk Forum testing begins

As I've mentioned, we've wanted to build a native R3 reblet for testing. Doing so forces us to make R3 usable and motivates us to fix bugs.

Over the weekend, I built RebTalk Forum in R3. It is a small threaded forum communication program that I hope to eventually use for open developer discussions (and they will be mirrored on the web.) Currently, it includes user account creation/login, topics, threads, and messages. It also has a bit of user priv management, so we can control who gets to do what.

Remember, it's not the feature set as much as it is the fact it runs in 3.0. So please don't compare this little R3 reblet to a commercial BBS. But, it's actually quite usable for such a tiny system.

Here is a RebTalk 0.0.1 screenshot, rendered in the default developer GUI skin:

I put the server online yesterday, and we are testing the client. It seems to work, however, a few developers are seeing some HTTP or TCP problems, which we still need to solve.

And, here are a few stats to help judge R3 complexity for a small reblet like RebTalk:

RebTalk client: 8.3 KB or 2.3 KB mold-load compressed
RebTalk server: 4.6 KB or 1.2 KB mold-load compressed

Writing RebTalk was a great exercise in 3.0 development. For one, it helped me to tune the submit reactor (end user face action), making really clean CUG code sections possible.

Here's an example of a popup window that asks for new topic name and submits it:

view [
    title "Start new topic:"
    field
    embed [copy rt-state]
    group [
        button "Submit" submit send-app 'topic
        button "Cancel" close
    ]
]

Once we get it stable, we'll add more users, release the source, and see where it goes from there. And certainly, the GUI needs more improvements. But, we're getting there.

5 Comments

Comments:

-pekr- 1-Dec-2008 14:10:12	I don't really agree to use this reblet for anything else, than testing purposes. In fact, such plan is imo flawed. It will distract ppl from AltME, while being FAR from being as usefull and complete as AltME, as well as it will not serve the purpose the group outlined - having real web forum If we want to create real solid system, we should not aim lower than IOS NG, rebservices based
Carl Sassenrath 1-Dec-2008 14:45:40	Pekr, I do agree that soon we need the application framework level (the "IOS" parts), but at this time we need to put "pressure" on the GUI to push it forward. This project achieved that, to a great extent. These two things (IOS and GUI) are actually related. Think about the GUI form submit method as an example. The submit has to "bundle" the request and post it to a service, within the bounds of a framework. So, it's all related. My goal remains the same, to get more developers involved this month. Those who have the time and interest.
Shadwolf 5-Dec-2008 2:36:11	well I don't see the problem of doing a tool that allows wigets developers to upload their new widgets allowing other GUI devs to test them then debug them or submit enhancemets based on the first widget upload and then have a discussion with other devs only related to that particular widget. Man if we had those kind of tools back in the year when we where building REBGUI and proposing new widgets to it that would have been really nice instead of having an all melt group in altme where people digress from the main topic of the group. By the way since actually there is not much to discuss about AltME et turning into a anypurpose discuss WORLD and that's true piss me off Carl if you can do something about that can you try it ? what do we want a GUI to talk about GUI relase code and being able to test int on the fly or do we want another "I Love Jesus" discussion group?
-pekr- 5-Dec-2008 8:43:28	Shadwolf - your perception is wrong imo. Any chat system, if it allows user to post, can contain off-topic chit-chat. How do you want to technically avoid it? You would have to establish moderators and the ability to delete certain posts.
popper 6-Dec-2008 7:32:37	a multipoint to multipoint multicast _tunnneled_ white board addition for the future reblet fun might be a good thing and get some outside interest as a non trivial app for non rebol coders to make and use for realtime interactive feedback. perhaps your kids have already used the free bata version of OpenCanvas and you get the idea, but for developers to mess with their buttons etc http://www.drawfurry.com/?p=42 its pritty cool actually and the lads had hours of fun with his friends and that realtime GUI app. its not tunneled multicast OC, thats far to advanced for todays unicast bedroom.corporate tech heads ;)

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