It has been a while since I last posted an update, and I have a bunch of things done now.
Firstly, the name of the main server is now just `9`. I haven't plugged on all the bits as I am systematically rebuilding from the old version to avoid adding any fluff (and I know there is lots), but the repo is here:
https://git.parallelcoin.io/dev/9 - it doesn't
do anything yet, but once the configuration parts are completed all the old launch stuff is added back and all its necessary dependencies.
The configuration system stuff was driving me crazy between setting and saving, on the CLI and into the apps configurations turned out to be poorly supported with all of the CLI argument processing libraries I found.
After three rounds trying with libraries and one false start with a home-grown solution, I am back at crafting my own solution. The new CLI arguments processing only handles actual commands (node, wallet, etc) and triggers for stuff like replay and dropping indexes and so forth.
The actual configuration will now be handled by a simple codec and a file format that is easy to edit and has all the comments and defaults for the user. I am writing the code that saves the configuration now and once I finish the code that reads it back into the appropriate structure, I will build a typeahead search interactive CLI that lets you find settings and change their values interactively. The GUI will also have its own interface to this.
It will be possible later to extend the CLI interface to allow directly setting things for a one-shot run, and the configuration interactive CLI will let you also choose to launch commands after you change settings. I will aim to make it as smooth and intuitive as possible, but not wasting any more of my time on code that will rarely execute in real life.
I should be finished the configuration and launchers in a few days and hopefully @marcetin has warmed up his golang web app skills after a much too long break from it and we will be able to get the beta happening in the next couple of weeks.
We have secured a bit more funding for development now, so also expect soon a formal Roadmap and Whitepaper to let you all know what we are doing next.
The next phase of development is very likely to be towards building an application framework with a distributed, trustless epidemic, transaction-oriented protocol that is intended to form the basis of ultimately an entire operating environment, from end user to network infrastructure providers. The aim is to make a scalable framework that can go from realtime MMO first person shooter game level response, to media streaming and consensus accounting of delivery of media to calculate a monetisation system and reputation ranking for curation. But instead of thinking first about the application, rather, to build the pieces that have many ways of being applied.
Of course, where we go next we will make sure we bring as many of the willing passengers along as possible. Feedback and discussion is most welcome (come to the discord and say hello:
https://discord.gg/nJKts94)