First Meeting Content/Agenda...

[Rob Wehrli]

Douglas Jerome wrote:
> 
> A simple peer-to-peer server, like napster, for sharing files might be
> fun. A simple one wouldn't be too much work. A client might want to be
> implemented in TCL/TK, for more rapid development.
> 
> Just a thought...

Not a bad thought, but does it have a purpose?  Why are we sharing files
and why can't we use any one of a million existing tools for that
functionality?  If the implied purpose is sharing MP3s, OK, but is it? 
Tcl/Tk isn't a bad choice for rapid GUI apps, but it, like other
scripting languages require an interpreter and are generally relatively
slow and scripted languages tend to be a bit less flexible while often
requiring syntactical constructs that are not easily read or understood
by other uses skilled in other scripting languages.

Additionally, Tcl with Tk are really X Window-centric.  While there may
be ports to other windowing systems/environments (I don't follow it
beyond its UNIX origins), it doesn't grab me as a generally "portable"
world, at least not in the way that C and C++ are portable.

However, I'd recommend that if you or someone else is a Tcl/Tk person, a
45-60 minute presentation followed up by a congregation during "snack
time" where others with similar interests could discuss it would be
suitable for "group."  I've read John's book "Tcl and the Tk Toolkit"
and have done a few things with it, but I generally prefer the speed and
flexibility/strengths of more strongly typed languages.  But that is
just me.  I don't pretend to speak to the needs of the entire group,
which is yet another reason for a presentation on the topic.  Let the
group decide if/how it would like to use/explore/become religiously
involved with... Tcl....from the perspectives of individuals within the
group and resultant responses from the presentation.  ...the same goes
for Motif, X Toolkit Intrinsics, XView, or PERL, BASH shell programming,
etc, etc.  There are about a billion things that fall under the "devel"
category with anything UNIX related.  Kit talked about device drivers
and the kernel and loader.  Entire volumes abound on those kinds of
topics.  This makes it so much a better reason for us to consider
"presenting" topics to the group, while leaving open room for relatively
unlimited conversation on any realm of topics that may cohabit a Linux
developer system.

Take Care...more ramblings from:

Rob!