From: rbs{at}snippets.org
To: c_echo{at}yahoogroups.com
To: r.scudder{at}rcn.com (Roger Scudder)
Copy: c_echo{at}yahoogroups.com

Quoting Roger Scudder :

> > One thing few folks realize is that one reason SNIPPETS was neglected for
> > so long is simply because it could be. In the beginning (i.e. pre-1980),
>
> I was, and I think a lot of other folks were as well, concerned about
> you when you dropped out of public view for an extended period.  The
> reports of health problems confirmed my fears that you were ill.

Yeah, and bored to tears! ;-)

> Based on the information I was receiving I drew the conclusion that you did
> not have the energy to devote to Snippets.  It was around that time I
> decided to drop out of Fidget for a couple of years.   I am very
> pleased to see that you are back and actively working on Snippets again.

Thanks - it was a largely self-motivated effort up until now, though.

> Well, I really don't give out feedback as often as I should.  From what
> you are telling me I would say that most people don't.  To tell you the
> truth I wasn't all that enthused about the Snippets web site was it was
> first established.  I preferred to obtain Snippets via ftp.  I began to
> see the value in the web site when I saw people who were never involved
> in the C Echo referring others to the site.  Now that you have added
> more languages and the forums I think the site has potential to be
> something really special.

By making it web site, it relieves me of the considerable effort that was
required each time I made an update to the ZIP archives. I developed a whole
suite of specialized tools to synch files dates, regenerate documentation, etc.
When something under 2% of the files have changed - regardless of how
significant the changes - it's hard to work up the enthusiasm for a task that
always took no less than three hours. And *that* was by the upload time with a
slow modem!

Now, I simply update the file and the PHP in the browser page does the rest. The
browser page which looks absolutely hideously complex when you look at it from
your web browser, is almost 100% PHP - all the HTML you see is generated by some
rather compact and readable PHP code.  Want to add a new section or new files?
No problem, I simply use the predefined PHP functions start_section_() and/or
start_line_(). And the ZIP archive updates? That's a chron job running in the
background daily.

> I guess maybe I owe you an apology for a lack of sensitivity...  It was
> my perception that you were busy grinding out scripts and tweaking html.
> I usually give people a chance to finish what they are doing before I
> make comments about their work.

Well, I was, but I've been working on this for months, and once I'm ready to
actually publish something, I'm ready for feedback. Anything that sees the light
of day or is publicly announced is fair game!

> If I had realized that you were seeking
> immediate feedback, I would have taken the time to give the site a good
> look.  As it were, I was preoccupied with what I was doing and only took
> a brief look once or twice. When I saw that the forums were not ready

The C and C++ forums are now working - unfortunately, I'm still the only member. ;-)

> I assumed that you were still working on the site and decided to check
> back later.  As I told you not long ago, I am happy to help in any way I
> can, but I need some communication to that effect.  In hindsight I
> suppose that is what your comment about a dearth of feedback was
> about... If so, then I am sorry for not realizing it.

Don't take it personally, Roger... Like most folks here, you've always been
helpful in the past so my message was intended more as a nudge than anything
else. The attitude I can blame on lack of sleep... ;-)

> > Hopefully, the new conferences will revive the sense of an active
> > contributing community to regain some of the old momentum.
>
> I am psyched about the forums.  I think that adding the forums was an
> excellent idea!  As far as contributing, I know I need to crawl out of
> my shell and start giving back.

Virtually everything in SNIPPETS came from the C_Echo in times past. If the
archive (and its nascent sister archives) is to grow, it needs a similar
environment. I don't see too much code posted anymore, and it occurred to me
that if I wanted to breathe some life back into SNIPPETS, I should be proactive
about providing an environment where folks would be comfortable sharing code.

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