Date: Sun Aug 12 06:45:01 2001
Subject: [DGD] Access

Stephen Schmidt wrote:

> On Thu, 9 Aug 2001, Mikael Lind wrote:
> > After some initial problems I had, Dworkin emphasised that
> > compilation and calling are to be kept separate.
>
> Can someone give some intuition as to why this is desirable?
> I understand it, but don't understand the need for it. I have
> not done much work with the kernel, but it seems to me that
> this method requires that, each time an object calls into
> another object, one must check whether the target object is
> compiled, and if not, pass control to a manager object which
> determines whether to compile and proceed, or abort the call,
> based on the identity of the calling object and whatever else
> you want to take into account.

It is easy enough to simulate the old 2.4.5 behaviour on top of
the kernel library, if that is desired.  But I kept it separate
in the kernel library because compiling and calling are very
different actions in terms of security.

If I create a source file somewhere in my directory with an aim to
eventually make it available to others as a callable server object,
is it not odd that anyone can compile it before I think it is ready?
If it is broken, and I want to repair it, should I not be able to take
it offline without others racking up errors in my code?  An object
compiled from a source file in my directory will be owned by me, and
counts towards my own object quota.  Should others really be able
to increase the number of objects I have in the game, just because
this object is intended to be callable by others once compiled?

This is why compiling an object requires write permission to the
source file.  If you want to make an object available as a server,
it is easiest to just make sure that it is compiled in advance.

Regards,
Dworkin