I have a cunning plan...

phaxx

I have a cunning plan... goes something like this.

I like to sit and reload the main page every minute or two, and I got to thinking about all the extra stuff I download each time needlessly, so instead of me asking the server about the recent posts, how about the server telling me?

Hang on, let me explain. Put simply, it oughta be roughly like so;

1) Boards muppet makes a post.
2) Posting script sends relevant data about the post/thread to subscribed people
3) App on their computers recieves it and acts on it based on their preferences... for example I'd like a box to pop up when someone posts to forum X and to simply ignore any posts from another forum.

Okay, now, in more detail...

Would be done with UDP packets, posting script sends a single packet to a daemon either on another server or your existing one. This is to let the posting script get on with it, just send the packet and forget it. The second hop is the daemon that simply has a list of hostnames/ip addys to send this packet to - it forwards the recieved UDP packet to every hostname on the list.

Packet is recieved by users' computers, and the rest is left to the client software.

Something to note is that users would probably need dynamic hostnames. (.ath.cx is the only one I can recall at the moment) This would create an increase in the number of DNS requests being made, but have the forwarding daemon cache them and only update every x minutes.

I use a similar system for my site, people can fill in a box and click send (only if I'm online, judged by age of cam image) and it sends a udp packet to my dynamic hostname, it's picked up by my computer and displayed. Works very well, too, if I do say so myself.

I think it would be cool anyway, having boards alerts delivered right to you.

I'd guess that the bandwidth it would use is next to nothing... certainly less than the bandwidth used by people reloading the main page all the time!

So there's the basic idea, waddya fink? Am I nuts?

GoneShootin

yes
you are daft as a brush

but its the daft ones that have the best ideas

now im no webtech guy, but it sure does sound dandy

DeVore

Actually, I'm already ahead of you.

I wanted to move to a databased backed engine so I could write a Vb app that would monitor for keywords and alert to posts anywhere that were in your list or subscribed posts...

It will take time (maybe half a year or more) but hey, we're not going anywhere right!?

Anyway, good idea, I might open source it to the programming board to get started

DeV.

Baz_

Does sound like a good idea "Boards.ie Messenger" eh. Excellent thinking phaxx, you can whip me black and blue (see programming board Boards.ie needs you or summat).

phaxx

*bump*

So now that you've moved to a unix system, how about us having a go at this?

SantaHoe

Originally posted by phaxx
I like to sit and reload the main page every minute or two

LOL in fairness

Slydice

unless you have a udp tunnelling program for windows I'd really prefer this to be tcp rather than udp

Keeks

why don't ye tray and combine it with this idea.

Moriarty

I will write an mIRC client plugin for this if/when it gets started. Wont be too hard.

Oh, and UDP would be nicer imo.

smoke.me.a.kipper

Originally posted by Keeks
why don't ye tray and combine it with this idea.

thats a great idea Keeks. would be dead handy too.

phaxx

Originally posted by Keeks
why don't ye tray and combine it with this idea.

Had a look at that, decided it wasn't worth the effort, since I don't use IE.

Slydice: There would be clients and little UDP forwarding thingies for Windows and *nix.

MarcusGarvey

Nice idea Phaxx