Hi all,
This message was written in order to let you know that Ringlink 1.0 is
ready and available for use. As far as I know, Ringlink is the first
open source script for running webrings.
I'd like to stress a couple of Ringlink's characteristics:
- The design of the listpage - It appears as if the ring has no
beginning or end, i.e. just like the case should be since we talk
about rings...
- Possibility to register two URLs for a site, i.e. both a site entry
URL and a HTML code URL.
I will not tire you with a lot of details here, but I do recommend that
you go to the Ringlink homepage at http://www.gunnar.cc/ringlink/ and
start to explore the program (including the source code if you know
something about Perl). I have created a demo webring in my own
installation of Ringlink, which should make it easy to review the
functioning. I'm proud of Ringlink, really proud, and if you take the
time to check it out, I'm fully convinced that you will like it.
Ringlink is good (my opinion...), and a big step in realizing my vision
of a full-fledged open source script ``developed by ringmasters for
ringmasters". But it's not perfect, of course, so now I hope that
several of you will participate in the further development of Ringlink
with constructive criticism and ideas, and maybe pieces of source code.
I look forward to your spontaneous comments, and I have set up a mailing
list for the coming discussion (see the homepage). There is a project
list at the homepage, and my intention is to continuously revise it when
new good ideas are brought up from the discussion.
Two high priority items at the project list is a validity checker and
ring traffic statistics. The fact that the checker isn't implemented yet
makes Ringlink insufficient for the time being for running large rings,
at least if you have got used to relying on a checker, but in my opinion
Ringlink is complete enough to make the work with the administration of
small rings easy.
One installation of Ringlink can host several rings. I don't intend to
host a huge number of rings at my own site (I don't think my ISP would
appreciate that...), but at this stage we need pioneers, and I'd be
happy to host a few (not too large) rings just to prove that Ringlink
works smooth in real life, too.
I can't wait to know about your reactions. General comments might be
appropriate to post at this list, but the more specific comments on the
program should preferably be posted to the Ringlink Mailing List
(ringlinklist@xxxxxxxxx). Please see the homepage
http://www.gunnar.cc/ringlink/ for info about how to subscribe.
Hope I have aroused your curiosity. ;)
Gunnar Hjalmarsson