Mafia SVN for Scripts?

[roippi]

I was thinking the svn.txt could exist by itself in a repo somewhere and we could just interact with that. Probably with svn export rather than checkout since we don't really need a working copy of it.

Seems cleaner than having everyone download a new version of mafia every time the file changes, and we can pretty freely dole out commit access to it.

 

[bumcheekcity]

Would it not be easier to keep it on kolmafia.us and then it can be checked once a day, and updated by devs?

 

[roippi]

Easier for you? Yes. Easier for devs? No.

 

[Theraze]

But if fewyn gets the various kolmafia.us SVN repositories set up, the SVN.txt file could live in there and access be granted in a semi or fully official capacity...

 

[roippi]

You keep mentioning that like it's inevitable but fewyn has said that it probably won't happen.

 

[Theraze]

Ah. Last I'd seen with a specific yes/no was that it was still planned, rather than the "wow, this is annoying and I suggest people use something else free" post. Which isn't definite, but is highly suggestive that it's not happening here.

 

[Bale]

I was thinking the svn.txt could exist by itself in a repo somewhere and we could just interact with that.

Or we could treat it just like mall.txt which is to say that you put the most recent version in the svn when a new point release is spun.

Then just like mall.txt we can pull the changes off of fewyn's server the first time mafia logs in each session. Can that code be re-used for this file also?

 

[lostcalpolydude]

Or we could treat it just like mall.txt which is to say that you put the most recent version in the svn when a new point release is spun.

Then just like mall.txt we can pull the changes off of fewyn's server the first time mafia logs in each session. Can that code be re-used for this file also?

How would it be regularly updated? mallprices.txt is updated by anonymous users, and that's good enough because it's hard for the result of malicious behavior to be detrimental, but anonymous access isn't okay for svn.txt.

 

[Bale]

How would it be regularly updated? mallprices.txt is updated by anonymous users, and that's good enough because it's hard for the result of malicious behavior to be detrimental, but anonymous access isn't okay for svn.txt.

Agreed. I was only referring to what I posted. I meant that the user would get updates, like he gets updates of mallprices. I did not mean that he could update mallprices.

I still believe that minions and developers would be responsible for updating svn.txt manually. Mostly minions.

 

[roippi]

Maybe we can make a new subforum and give people moderator privileges for that? Or if people can be given moderator privileges for just a single thread, that works too.

I think svn.txt should be directly updatable by basically anyone who freely shares their script in one of the scripting fora. Since svn.txt will at the minimum contain a description of your script (and I dunno, maybe more metadata than that) it doesn't make sense to have to ask scripters to post "hey can you change the description of my script to <description>, I made a couple of typos." in a thread, have a minion read it, and then update the file. The whole point of this project is to reduce the barriers between scripters and users, not make new ones.

 

[Bale]

Maybe we can make a new subforum and give people moderator privileges for that? Or if people can be given moderator privileges for just a single thread, that works too.

Yes to the first, no to the second.

Unless vBulletin added a new feature since I last looked.

 

[fewyn]

I can manage a repo.txt file that can live on the kolmafia.us just give me the format to use and then we can setup a thread where users can post the info for me to put into the file. Sound good?

 

[Bale]

I can manage a repo.txt file that can live on the kolmafia.us just give me the format to use and then we can setup a thread where users can post the info for me to put into the file. Sound good?

It would be easier for everyone if we didn't have to go through you.

I'm thinking the easiest solution would be to simply create an SVN repository (on sourceforge or google code) with that single file and give access to everyone whom we want to edit it. Easy peasy! Then since mafia already has SVN capability, it can update svn.txt during login.

 

[zarqon]

It seems to me that a CLI command to register a project in the text file would be quite helpful here. Minions could then concentrate solely on weeding out abandoned entries.

 

[Theraze]

svnlist register <scriptname> <location> or something like that, names must be unique? Probably shouldn't use "svn" as our command, but some logically-named command for seeing the list as well as updating it and getting scripts though it...

 

[Bale]

It seems to me that a CLI command to register a project in the text file would be quite helpful here. Minions could then concentrate solely on weeding out abandoned entries.

I do not think that is a great idea. I'm willing to grant access to anyone who has written a script worthy of adding to the file, but not just any anonymous who decides they want to mess with out file.

 

[bordemstirs]

A handful of stuff:
First:
While this doesn't exactly address the issue of adding new projects to the proposed svn.txt, a way to reduce the effort of maintaining it would for it to just be "project name, link to xml" and then all relevant data could be maintained by the project owner separately, including description, version number (if applicable...), svn url, all that good stuff. Similar to how faxbot and buffbot data is collected.
Also, I'm not *quite* sure I understand the purpose of svn.txt... just a file that houses a list of svn-based scripts that users can browse from within mafia instead of on the forums?

Second: I've looked, but haven't found it, is there a way to commit changes from within mafia? Currently I have a handful of folders each with their own scripts and data directories that I have to copy my working changes from my real mafia folder into before committing. Would be awesome for devs to be able to do this from within the working environment.

Third: How does one get access to edit the wiki? I wouldn't mind setting up an svn page to compile all the various points of data floating around the forums. (not to mention the cluster of new ash functions)

 

[Bale]

Also, I'm not *quite* sure I understand the purpose of svn.txt... just a file that houses a list of svn-based scripts that users can browse from within mafia instead of on the forums?

Yes! That sounds amazingly awesome for a mafia user to be able to see a list of scripts without having to find the forum and look through lots of threads. Sure it is easy once you put in the time, but I suspect a lot of mafia users are ignorant of scripts which they would use if they could find a list of them to install with a single click.

Second: I've looked, but haven't found it, is there a way to commit changes from within mafia? Currently I have a handful of folders each with their own scripts and data directories that I have to copy my working changes from my real mafia folder into before committing. Would be awesome for devs to be able to do this from within the working environment.

No such method exits yet. It would be nice, but Roippi is already implementing as fast as he can.

Third: How does one get access to edit the wiki?

Register an account on the wiki and start typing.

 

[zarqon]

I'm willing to grant access to anyone who has written a script worthy of adding to the file, but not just any anonymous who decides they want to mess with [our] file.

That opens a can of worms -- who decides whether a script is worthy?

I believe that decision belongs to the users, not some middleman. You appear to want Apple's App Store, with its basically arbitrary approval process, and I'm suggesting Android's Market, where any app can be added but the proof is in the pudding and users can read reviews to avoid broken or harmful apps.

FWIW, there has been zero abuse of the Map Manager, despite its being accessible from a web browser. There's no reason a person couldn't upload a text file of links to malware and porn sites -- or even replace an existing map with bad data -- but no one has done it; and if someone did and it were reported, I'd remove/restore it. Adding a CLI command would be accessible only from within Mafia, and wouldn't allow anyone to mess with another person's submission. There hasn't been abuse of the Script Registry either, which uses this concept. The only risk to users would be if someone registered a malicious script, and in that case the user would be at fault for not checking it out more thoroughly before using it -- most scripts have a place where they are discussed -- and it could be removed by minions at the first complaint so it would have minimum impact.

I do believe the project list ought to include a blacklist section, to prevent re-submission of removed projects.

Basically, we should be looking to minimize middleman involvement, because every step that involves a person's evaluation means delay and inconvenience for scripters, introduces the possibility of human error, and opens the door to personal bias in these evaluations, which opens another door to arguments about the person's decision.

 

[lostcalpolydude]

Adding a CLI command would be accessible only from within Mafia, and wouldn't allow anyone to mess with another person's submission.

Absolutely anyone could mess with the submission, if it's possible to update at all. Just because the CLI command requires mafia doesn't mean you need mafia to post whatever URL mafia would submit.

At a minimum, I think there needs to be no doubt about who posted a particular script (even Android lets you see that much). This forum would work, sourceforge would work. The only way a CLI command works is if it triggers sending a kmail or chat message and there's a character set up just to receive those.