---- Begin Original Message ----
From: Adam Scriven <scriven@LORE.COM>
Sent: Sun, 1 Oct 2000 19:01:48 -0400
To: CIRCLE@post.queensu.ca
Subject: [CIRCLE] [QUESTION][NEWBIE?] Ascii vs. Binary player files?
Hey all.
I've been scouring the snippets and code contrib section, looking for
stuff that I want that's already been written. A couple of things
(fancier prompts, for instance), reference ascii player files.
So, why would someone choose ascii player files? Obviously someone
who
has shell access and write access can easily hack the player files,
which
could be a plus, but are there any other reasons?
Also, I can't find anything that allows me to migrate from binary to
ascii
player files. What am I missing?
Thanks!
Adam
---- End Original Message ----
All I can tell you is why I decided to go ASCII after all this time.
ASCII pfiles mean that you can edit/create new characters without
having to go through the stock character creation process (see
interpreter.c: void nanny) which means you can use other systems to
create characters.
Security is a major problem, since anyone and his mother with shell
access can now edit anyone's character. This is easily solved by
restricting shell access to the Head Administrator and the Head
Coder. You might want to consider cmod'ing your files as well, so
that other mud admins on your server can't access your pfiles.
Just make sure that all the passwords are encrypted, or there might
be a larger security problem than you can imagine.
My advice: until your MUD has settled into a nice little niche, I
wouldn't consider going ASCII. Having coders come and go is pretty
much an everyday occurence with most MUDs, unless the Implementor IS
the Head Coder (as I think it should be), and this can get to be
pretty frustrating.
Methinks I should end it here, but I could go on, and on, and on,
and...
-FIRE
Get your Free E-mail at http://randor.zzn.com
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