So, Lummox says that the backend of the DM language is very messy, but how so?
And then I started to think about a whole bunch of other crap I'd love to know about the DM source.
Like, how big is it? 10,000 lines? (Or any other fair metric)
Why is it messy, is it just because of sloppy habits, or shortcuts, or something else?
Are there any bits that you don't understand? Like any tricks that Dan or Tom used that you still don't fully get.
Are there any parts (Recent or old) that you're particularly proud of? Something you accomplished you thought you wouldn't?
Are there any parts you wouldn't ever touch? Anything off-limits for fear of what could happen?
Is there any part you particularly would want to re-write, or re-do, in particular? Be it because it's so outdated or so... bad... or because it needs to be done?
Sorry this isn't meant to be an interview, I just realised how interested I am in this, lol.
ID:2204107
 Jan 23 2017, 1:18 pm
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Nadrew wrote:
"Why is it messy?" I've often thought of this because, if I'm not mistaken, BYOND was one of the very first openly available multiplayer platforms, when it was DUNG. You'd have thought that'd come with some level of respect. Along with that, it must have taken fairly innovative minds. "Any of it you don't understand?" Awesome! So was Dan exceptionally talented? And when you say madness, do we have any sort of example? Just something to build a point of reference from. The rest would be a Lummox only answer thing, but I can assume some of what he's going to say there too based on the years of conversations on the subject he and I have had. Thanks a bunch for your answers! I'm feeling oddly nostalgic, it's interesting to know more about the platform that practically defined a large amount of my teens, and also set me onto the path that has now become part of my career. | |
Nadrew wrote:
"How big is it?" I'd wager at this point there's an "M" in there somewhere. | |
Dan was and is one of the best programmers I've ever met. As for madness it's just a matter of how Dan wrote things, he wasn't very verbose or comment-happy, probably never expected the project to get so large or that anyone else would ever read the code. I don't have any specific examples, no.
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"How big is it?"
Well over 100,000 lines.
"Why is it messy?"
Because a lot of it was written by a super genius twenty years ago before a lot of fancy stuff we have now was around, coupled with multiple developers and attempts to modernize it over the years.
"Any of it you don't understand?"
Initially Lummox had trouble with most everything Dan did, but as the years went on he got more and more comfortable with the madness which has allowed him more and more freedom to go digging through the guts of things. I'd imagine there's still bits he's terrified to touch.
The rest would be a Lummox only answer thing, but I can assume some of what he's going to say there too based on the years of conversations on the subject he and I have had.