Re: [RFC] web-messaging application for mod_perl

[James G Smith <JG...@TAMU.Edu>]

Adi Fairbank <ad...@adiraj.org> wrote:
>On, or in the near vicinity of Mon, 14 Jul 2003 18:49:58 +0300
>Stas Bekman <st...@stason.org> has thus written:
>
>> Probably the best bet is to give it some cool unique name, like 
>> Apache::AdiChat and then you are all set, since you are not going to take over
>> any future framework/namespaces...
>> 
>
>What's wrong with "WebMessaging" ?  Do you foresee that interfering with some
>future software in the Apache:: namespace, or is it just too generic?  I thought
>it was a good name since it accurately describes what it is: not webmail, not
>instant messaging, but web messaging.  (basically, it's like those message boxes
>you get on a stock trading website when you login to your account)
>
>Here are the possibilities:
>
>  1 Apache::WebMessaging
>  2 Apache::App::WebMessaging
>  3 Apache::SomeOtherUniqueName (e.g. ServerMessaging, or UserMessaging, or
>SystemMessaging)
>
>I personally prefer 1 or 2, so if there are no serious objections, I'll pick one
>of those.  Let me know which you like the best.

As an aside, RFC 1178 has some ideas on host naming that might be
useful here: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1178.txt?number=1178 .  We're
not talking about naming hosts, but the principles are similar.  (I
do make a suggestion on names in the penultimate paragraph.)

First, there are several things WebMessaging could mean:  a Web
e-mail client such as TWIG (in PHP) or SquirrelMail (I think in Perl)
or a web interface for sending SMS messages to cell phones.  There
are protocols that this can be done with: SOAP, XML-RPC, Jabber, Sun
RPC, SMTP, etc.  Some are more useful in certain situations than
others.

For customer to customer messaging, there are several different
types:  instant messaging, usually mediated via Java clients but
sometimes through a reloaded web page (at least in olden times [>4
years ago]), store and forward (e.g., WebCT internal e-mail system
whereby customers can send messages to other customers without
leaving the application).  There are probably others I haven't run
into yet or that I've forgotten about.

>From what I can see from your description and a brief look at some of
the code, you are doing a small portion of what web messaging can
mean:  customer to customer, store and forward messaging.

Because you don't cover all the possibilities (and it would be
unreasonable to expect anyone to do so), I would discourage using
such a generic name.

There are other applications on CPAN that use somewhat fanciful names that
have a connection to the application:  

  o I've used Uttu (a Sumerian goddess of weaving) for an application
    framework framework and Gestinanna (... of record keeping, iirc)
    for a system/customer account management application.  (Neither
    of these are `popular' or finished enough to warrant any
    significant attention -- I use them only as examples.)

  o Dave Rolsky's used Alzabo (``The red orbs of the alzabo were
    something more, neither the intelligence of humankind nor the
    innocence of the brutes. So a fiend might look, I thought, when
    it had at last struggled up from the pit of some dark star.'' --
    Gene Wolfe _The Sword of the Lictor__) for an RDBMS schema
    management and data access system.

  o Jonathan Swartz chose Mason for a component-based templating
    system.

There's OpenInteract, Bricolage, Tangram, AxKit, etc., all of which
have names only loosely tied to what they are doing.

Having unique names like these helps in several ways.  First, they
don't preclude others from entering the same `market,' which can be
seen as part of the TMTOWTDI tradition in Perl.  Second, they serve
to brand the application.  If you give a talk about Web Messaging,
what do people expect?  We're back to the survey above.  On the other
hand, a talk about a particular name, such as Apache::App::Mercury,
might let people know more quickly what you are wanting to discuss.

Finally, you might want to change the version from 0.80pre1 to
0.80_01 -- CPAN might get confused by the first format.
-- 
James Smith <JG...@TAMU.Edu>, 979-862-3725
Texas A&M CIS Operating Systems Group, Unix

Re: [RFC] web-messaging application for mod_perl

[Adi Fairbank <ad...@adiraj.org>]

On, or in the near vicinity of Tue, 15 Jul 2003 01:47:13 -0500
James G Smith <JG...@TAMU.Edu> has thus written:

> Adi Fairbank <ad...@adiraj.org> wrote:
> >Here are the possibilities:
> >
> >  1 Apache::WebMessaging
> >  2 Apache::App::WebMessaging
> >  3 Apache::SomeOtherUniqueName (e.g. ServerMessaging, or UserMessaging, or
> >SystemMessaging)
> >
> >I personally prefer 1 or 2, so if there are no serious objections, I'll pick
> >one of those.  Let me know which you like the best.
> 
[...]
> 
> From what I can see from your description and a brief look at some of
> the code, you are doing a small portion of what web messaging can
> mean:  customer to customer, store and forward messaging.
> 
> Because you don't cover all the possibilities (and it would be
> unreasonable to expect anyone to do so), I would discourage using
> such a generic name.
> 
[...]
> 
> Having unique names like these helps in several ways.  First, they
> don't preclude others from entering the same `market,' which can be
> seen as part of the TMTOWTDI tradition in Perl.  Second, they serve
> to brand the application.  If you give a talk about Web Messaging,
> what do people expect?  We're back to the survey above.  On the other
> hand, a talk about a particular name, such as Apache::App::Mercury,
> might let people know more quickly what you are wanting to discuss.

Ok, I'm sold.  Now I get the reason for not using such a generic name.

In fact, I really like your suggestion Apache::App::Mercury.  If you don't mind,
I'll use that name!  Do you mind?

"Mercury the swift messenger of the ancient gods.

The Greek god Hermes (the Roman Mercury) was the god of translators and
interpreters. He was the most clever of the Olympian gods, and served as
messenger for all the other gods. He ruled over wealth, good fortune, commerce,
fertility, and thievery.

Among his personal favorite commercial activities was the corn trade. He was
also the god of manual arts and eloquence. As the deity of athletes, he
protected gymnasiums and stadiums."

(http://www.eso.org/outreach/eduoff/vt-2004/mt-2003/mt-mercury-mythology.html)

> Finally, you might want to change the version from 0.80pre1 to
> 0.80_01 -- CPAN might get confused by the first format.

Will do!

Cheers,
-Adi