[dcc2] Question about the necessity of multi file sends

[Szymon Stefanek]

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/me still thinks that DCC LIST + individual DCC GETS are better for at least 
the following reasons.

- - It is easier to implement
	Two simplex subprotocols are easier to implement
	than one duplex proto just because the state flow
	is simplier and both subprotocols can share the same
	code (in fact a DCC LIST is a DCC SEND with a dynamically
	created content).
- - It has a simplier specification
	each subproto can be described in 10 lines of spec
	and does not involve XML or other monsters :)
- - It doesn't require permanent connections
	Longer connection means higher probability of fault.
	A fault in a multi-file transfer makes it useless.
- - It is better to understand for an user
	DCC LIST + DCC GET has been already succesfully
	implemented in a non standard way by many clients and bots
	and the result is that *it is used* (now!).
- - It has higher probability of being a succesfull method
	Since it is *already* working in a non standard way
	there is also less chance that it will be a faulty standard protocol design.
- - It is still a secure method and keeps good privacy
	The file list is transferred through DCC LIST and thus through
	a direct client connection. Each DCC GET is issued by specifying
	a file "handle" that is NOT the file name (just because the sender
	offers a list of files in a sort of virtual file system).

The only reason that I think that Multi-Send would be better is in the case
where the sender wants to send a really huge list of small files (where the 
bandwidth of the file transfers is comparable to the bandwidth used by the
DCC2 handshake). But this is a special case and usually CAN be handled by 
compression methods.

> good points in his response.  Overall, a multi file protocol simplifies the
> process of sending multiple files for program authors and/or end users.

Sending multiple files is just easy: open a file dialog, select multiple files
and issue multiple DCC SEND requests. The receiving client is still able to 
choose each individual file.

>  Multi-file sends are
> already present in most major IM chat clients, and we, as IRC client
> authors, have already decided that this is a feature many of us want to add
> for our users as well.

/me respect this.
In fact, as long as multi-file is a separate sub-protocol specification, it 
does not hurt: the clients are not required to support it.


- -- 

Szymon Stefanek

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