RE: LIBWWW SURVEY

> -----Original Message-----
> From: www-lib-request@w3.org
> [mailto:www-lib-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of jose.kahan@w3.org
> Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 10:36 AM
> To: www-lib@w3.org
> Subject: LIBWWW SURVEY
>
>
> =====================================
>              LIBWWW SURVEY
> =====================================
>
> Opens: September 22, 2000
> Ends:  October 6, 2000
> Goal:  Get a clear idea of what the libwww user community
> would like to
>        do with libwww
> Means: Mail your responses to this form to www-lib-survey@w3.org
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [1.0] Who are you and how do you use libwww
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [1.1] Do you develop or have developed applications that use libwww
>
> [X] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> If you didn't answer yes to [1.1], go to section 2.
>
> [1.2] What kind of application (you may cite the name too, if
> you want)
> Contact Networks PC Client (www.contact.com)
>
> [1.2] On which platform and environment (mark all that apply)
>
> [ ] X-Windows
> [ ] Unix (includes Linux, Solaris, ...)
> [X] Win32
> [ ] GTK
> [ ] Others (please cite):
>
> [1.3] Which language(s) did you use
>
> [ ] C
> [X] C++
> [ ] Others (please cite):
>
> [1.4] How do you rate your programming skills
>
> [X] Experience programmer
> [ ] Average programmer
> [ ] Beginner
>
> [1.5] What parts of libww do you use
>
> [ ] XML parser
> [ ] RDF parser
> [ ] HTML parser
> [X] HTTP
> [ ] FTP
> [ ] News
> [ ] Telnet
> [ ] Gopher
> [ ] SSL
> [ ] Others (please cite): compression (gzip)
>
> [1.6] What applications of libwww do you use
>
> [X] Examples
> [ ] Robot
> [ ] LineMode parser
> [ ] Command line parser
> [ ] WinCommander
>
> [1.7] What modifications do you make to the code before you use it?
>
> [1.8] If you have any tests for libwww code, what parts of libwww
>       do you test and are you willing to contribute the tests to
>       the W3C?
>
> [1.9] Anything else you'd like to say
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [2.0] Your opinion of libwww
* Error handling is a problem when using libwww with a C++ app. which uses
exceptions.
* Looks to me like the fact it supports so many platforms, makes it hard not
to have platform specific bugs.
I can tell about myself, that it was really hard for me to detect couple of
WIN32 related bugs since they were in the core parts of libwww, and I was
not a network developer (until this task ...)
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [2.1] In your opinion, libwww is (check all that apply):
>
> [ ] useful to write sample code
> [ ] useful for learning how to program a WWW application
> [ ] useful to write production code
> [ ] Other: please cite
>
> [2.2] Do you find it useful that libwww is written in C
>
> [ ] Yes
> [X] No
>
> [2.3] Please explain your previous answer

Regarding:"useful for learning how to program a WWW application" - I think
it is the opposite ! it is very HARD to learn WWW programming comparing to
Java which is really simple.
C++, if you have a good net library it can be easy too.

> [2.4] Do you feel that libwww too big?
>
> [X] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> [2.5] If so, which parts would you like to remove, or move to
> other libraries
Some parts like : GOPHER, NEWS etc. are relevent to the old WWW days.

> [2.6] What are the things that you like the most of libwww
>
> [2.7] What are the things that you dislike the most of libwww
* It's error handling & reporting.
* Lack of samples, especially complex ones.

> [2.8] What are the things that you would like to change in libwww
>
> [2.9] What are the things you think that libwww are missing
>
> [2.10] Anything else you'd like to say
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Section 3: The future
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [3.1] Let's continue with libwww
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [3.1.1] Do you think it's worth it to have a WWW library?
>
> [X] Yes
> [] No
>
> [3.1.2] Do you know of any other similar libraries (please
> give a URL to the project if possible)
>
cURL - http://curl.haxx.se/

> [3.1.2] Do you think it's worth it to invest time continuing enhancing
>         libwww and its architecture.
>
> [] Yes
> [X] No
>
> [3.1.3] Are you interested in joining the core team of such a project
>         (enhancing libwww)?
>
> [] Yes
> [X] No
>
> [3.1.4]  If you are willing to write some new documentation or improve
>          existing documentation, which topics are you willing
> to document?
>
> [3.1.5] Anything else you'd like to say
I believe is is not worth to spend time on a library written in C, in the
days of OOP:
Java has a great network library, easy to use, great docs & there are other
libraries written in C++ (not rich as libwww though).
Maybee the effort should be to create a rich library in C++.


> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [3.4] Let's invest our forces enhancing an existing project
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [3.4.1] Do you think it's better to enhance another existing
> project (i.e.,
>         merge our efforts)
>
> [3.4.2] Are you interested in joining the core team of such a project
>         (enhancing an existing project)?
>
> [ ] Yes
> [X] No
>
> [3.4.3] Anything else you'd like to say
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [3.5] Let's write it again
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [3.5.1] Do you think the project should stop and start again
> from a clean
>         slate?
>
> [X] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> [3.5.2] Which language would you use and why (please take into account
>         portability among systems)?
Java (I am not sure there is something to add to the current net library is
java) or C++

> [3.5.3] Are you interested in joining the core team of such a project
>         (starting a new libwww project)?
>
> [] Yes
> [X] No
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [3.6] Where to host it
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [3.6.1] Should W3C continue hosting libwww or any other
> spin-off projects?
>
> [] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> [3.6.2] SourceForge (SF): How would feel if the W3C
> transferred libwww to a
>         SF project?
>
> [3.6.3] Are you currently involved with any SF projects?
>
> [ ] Yes
> [X] No
>
> [3.6.4] If so, do you think libwww would fit into that
> developement paradigm?
>
> [ ] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> [3.6.5] Do you have other suggestions of where libwww should
> be hosted?
>
> [3.6.6] Anything else you'd like to say
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> [4.0] Your comments
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [4.1] Anything else you'd like to say
>

Received on Sunday, 24 September 2000 04:52:13 UTC