On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 09:33:56 -0400 "John Voiklis" voiklis@redfigure.org wrote:
While I have successfully used Nebraska (in cases where all users had static IPs), I would love some quick how-tos for each of the items under the collaborative heading in the Object Catalog, for instance with badges: how to deal with dynamic IPs and, less technically, how to add an image.
OK,
Here are a few specific answers:
======================================= The Badge (known elsewhere as the EToySenderMorph) =======================================
Putting a new picture in a badge...
I never got around to creating a nice UI for doing things like this, but here is one rather programmerish way. In a workspace type the following, with the appropriate substitutions, and then do-it.
EToySenderMorph new userName: 'Joe the Jet' userPicture: (Form fromFileNamed: 'B727.png') userEmail: 'joe@sky.org' userIPAddress: '1.2.3.4'; position: 200@200; open
Dynamic IP addresses...
Two things sometimes get combined under this heading as related to Squeak collaboration:
1) Firewalls/private networks/cable modems/etc - these often prevent incoming connections, thus derailing at least some forms of collaboration as currently implemented. The solution (if you can't change the firewall) would be to use a server through which all messages would flow.
2) Dynamic assignment of IP addresses - as long as they are not in conjunction with #1, there are serveral possible solutions: 2a - phone or email the current ip address to your potential partner. Not great, but workable for some cases. 2b - broadcasting a name + ip address combination over the local network and letting other squeaks read that information rather than relying on fixed ip address. I did this for an Alan demo and I think it worked well. Limited to local network broadcast range. 2c - some sort of connection server as mentioned above and below.
Also, I remember Alan mentioning (in his talk at Teachers College) some kind of community server where Squeakers could register and find each other; it would be great to bypass the IP issue and to find and connect through usernames. Is such a sever currently in the works, or part of a long range plan. I am sure one the hardest parts is figuring out how to handle privacy and make sure that registrants have not misrepresented themselves or their motives.
I don't know if anyone is working on it, but you are right about the hard parts.
Cheers, Bob
squeakland@lists.squeakfoundation.org