[wpkg-users] [Bug 79] Major WPKG enhancements, remote logging, doc, internal restructuring

[Jerome Haltom]

> WPKG project was started by Jerry Haltom. Although he's not the greatest of all
> web designers, as you can see by visiting the link above ;) - his idea was
> pretty unique at this time.

And I still read this list from time to time too!

It's still crazy to see people using this thing. I only posted it to SF
on a lark. It started as an evenings quick hack.

> Working full time and without almost any Windows programming experience -
> still, I think I would rather want to write wpkg.js in bash or python rather
> than JScript ;) - I decided I would place google ads on the website, and from
> what's earned, I'll hire a programmer to improve WPKG. I hired a guy who
> implemented the "most wanted functionality" in wpkg.js at that time. He was
> paid in about 1% by google ads, and 99% from my own pocket. Psst, don't tell my
> wife ;)

Well, yeah. JScript is a poor choice for anything, but at the same time,
it worked. I'd have liked to take it all the way, turning it into a
"Real Program". In fact, somebody should do this. =)

I will say though I would argue against using any technology that isn't
"Windows native". That is, I would argue against using Python, or POSIX
shell. I think there's something to be said in this space that if you
want Windows admins to use and modify it, you need it to be built in
something familiar to Windows admins. A Java stack is not that. Python
would be closer.

I'd say it needs to work out of the box on a default Windows install,
without bringing along a dozen dependencies. Or at least a dozen
dependencies that make people feel nervous. It needs to feel "light".
I'd probably do it in C# if I were to take it on again. Pretty easy to
build a Windows service in C#. Very well understood among the MS crowd.

To be honest, straight duplication of wpkg.js into a .Net executable
would be pretty simple. Maybe 2 days of work.

> 
> In the meantime, development of a web interface was started, which was a
> disaster when compared to the interface developed by Michael J. Kidd. You can
> still find an old web interface here:
> http://wpkg.org/files/wpkg-http-23052005.tar.gz
> 
> 
> I think bigger and smaller wpkg.js patches started to pour in once the website
> was changed to a wiki - more people could comment/correct/add content easily.
> "Silent installers" category was certainly a good idea. However, it took me
> (read: wasted) some time to put a halt to spambots which used to devastate the
> content almost daily (the solution was simple - ConfirmEdit plugin to
> MediaWiki).
> 
> Another big step was WPKG Client (previously called WPKG Installer) - also
> funded from my pocket.
> 
> Oh, and there was the WPKG logo, contributed by Eric Le Henaff - a tiny thing,
> but help distinguish graphically a bit.
> 
> 
> Which brings us to the "WPKG team" again. Of course everyone who contributed to
> WPKG project (http://wpkg.org/Contributors) can feel a part of the team. There
> are no candies as a reward (but @wpkg.org email accounts are free - email me
> privately if somebody wants one).
> 
> Some contributors sent patches and I never/rarely heard from them again. Partly
> it can be my fault, as I didn't pick up the changes fast enough.
> Some are still active (Falko, Frank, Rainer with his big rewrite, few I forgot
> to mention).
> 
> So, I'd say I am responsible for releases. The only exception was 0.9.11-test1
> released by Michael J. Kidd.
> 
> Subversion should be used, but is not - this should change.
> 
> I'd also like to move the mailing lists to http://lists.wpkg.org soon - I'm not
> really satisfied with hosting on sourceforge.net. I had some users complaining
> they were kicked off the list / their mail is no longer accepted; I've
> personally seen sourceforge.net mailing list do not function at all (server
> error/timeout etc.).
> Perhaps there is a need for a wpkg-devel list, too, as I feel wpkg-users is
> bombarded with "technical" emails from bugzilla lately.
> 
> Oh, was it related to bug 79 at all? ;)
> 
> 
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