Re: plugin XML files

[Gerry Duprey <gerry@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Howdy Again,

> I don't see why not. We currently have two hosting locations:
>
> http://www.xplproject.org.uk/plugins.xml
> http://www.xpl.myby.co.uk/support/xplhalweb/plugins.xml
>
> Suggestions or improvements to the master file structure are always
> welcome (though of course we need to remain backward compatible).

Another thought -- could the root/master file itself provide a list of URLs
to use for subsequent attempts to reload the root/master file?

That way, as long as there was one working URL in a clients list of
servers,
clients could learn or new changes to the list of valid root/master
servers.
Anytime a client fetched the root list, it would update it's list of
servers
so subsequent fetches would use the updated list.

I can totally see this as being wrong for this file and it is likely less
backward compatible than the other changes I suggested, but if it were
possible, it would allow client apps out there to change/adapt to shifts in
where core documents are without having to make new releases of the
underlying app (with embedded URLs) whenever new servers are added or
changed.  It would also allow adding new/additional plugin root servers to
help spread the load around fairly dynamically (especially as xPL user
counts increase).

Something like

<plugins>
<servers>
<server name="Root Server" priority=-99
url="http://www.xplproject.org.uk/plugins.xml"/>
<server name="Bobs Root Server" priority=5
url="...."/>
<server name="Teds Root Server" priority=5
url="...."/>
<server name="Jims Root Server" priority=5
url="...."/>
</servers>

...
</plugins>


So client apps would go out into the world with a few "seed" URLs
(including
the www.xplproject.org.uk URL) to fetch from.  As long as at least one of
them is still valid, the client can then update it's list of servers
available for future updates/reloads.

Servers would be tried in order highest to lowest priority (default
priority
would be 0).  Amongst servers of the same priority, the client should try
to
choose one of them randomly (to help spread the load).  It would continue
down the list until it ran out of servers or found one that responded.

Gerry
--
Gerry Duprey
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
http://www.cdp1802.org