Forum Home
PC World Chat
 
Thread ID: 83047 2007-09-17 12:52:00 ChatF1 backend change & flash Erayd (23) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
591979 2007-09-17 12:52:00 Hi guys,

I'm thinking about changing the backend of ChatF1 in the next release. You shouldn't notice anything different on the surface - the interface will still be XHTML & Javascript - but I want to use sockets for the communication layer. This will make the ChatF1 connection to the server considerably more reliable than it currently is, and significantly faster. It will also use less web traffic (although ChatF1 doesn't exactly use much anyway).

Doing this will require a small piece of invisible flash scripting to write a socket API, as Javascript doesn't have a native socket implementation of its own.

If you didn't understand the above, don't worry - you don't need to. The real questions is this: How many of you have flash installed, or would be happy to install it for ChatF1?

Just to make sure things are absolutely clear - I will NOT be writing the next version interface in flash - the flash will be completely invisible.
Erayd (23)
591980 2007-09-17 13:02:00 None of the options above

I had/have flash installed, but have disabled it, thanks to the peel me ad on here & thanks to the ads on the NZ Herald & Stuff websites that use 100% CPU.
stu161204 (123)
591981 2007-09-17 13:02:00 Its all very well and good, however just remember that school/work/uni computers often don't have flash, and don't allow you to install it.
And as I sometimes log into CF1 from the Uni computers...
Sherman (9181)
591982 2007-09-17 13:03:00 Stu, would you consider enabling it for the ChatF1 site only?

What I may do, depending on the poll results, is write a dual backend so that if there is no flash, it'll fall back to the AJAX system it currently uses. Doing so would mean a lot of extra work though, and I don't want to put in that much time unless it's really necessary.
Erayd (23)
591983 2007-09-17 13:09:00 FF with Adblock handles the nastys fine for me. It will be a pleasant change to see a site other than the bank using flash inoffensively. R2x1 (4628)
591984 2007-09-17 21:39:00 What if our OS refuses to install it? ;)

Works fine on my lappy, Im with R2x1, AND I have Flash at work (Although no 'net access) :)
Chilling_Silence (9)
591985 2007-09-17 22:29:00 Thanks for adding the extra poll option. Which OS refuses to install it? Vista? :rolleyes: Erayd (23)
591986 2007-09-18 05:22:00 For a minute I thought you typed 'background change' bob_doe_nz (92)
1