[Squeakland] questions about collaboration tools

[Bob Arning]

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 09:33:56 -0400 "John Voiklis" <voiklis at 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 at sky.org' 
		userIPAddress: '1.2.3.4';
		position: 200 at 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