Possible Linux client development?

[spydielives]

This is a repost from : http://getting-started.dreamwidth.org/20466.html

I have been working with fub, testing his linux client called Benzaiten for LJ. On a whim, I tried it with Dreamwidth and it worked as a basic client.

I asked fub to make some changes so he could support Dreamwidth as well as LJ, and his reply was:

I don't have a dreamwidth account, so I don't know what you are talking about in your other feature requests. :P

My questions are:

1) Is there already a full-fledged linux client? If so, could someone point me to it?

2) If not, is there enough support here that I should continue to nudge fub to work on Benzaiten? What kinds of features would be nice? What should be left off?

FYI: Benzaiten is the Drivel client with cleaner code and more features, for those who were curious.

ETA: Click here for screen shot

Comments

[zvi]

I think most linux users would be interested in a full-fledged linux client.

I think the most relevant features for DW would be (a) WTF split and (b) crossposting, hopefully taking advantage of the DW crossposting system, but, if not, at least simultaneously posting to multiple clone sites and having the client remember to edit all when editing one.

Musing about editing cross posts

[spydielives]

[just thinking out loud... it has been a while since my cs masters days]

One problem with "post many/edit one/update all" systems is that it is possible (not likely with smart users, but still possible) that the one of dependent journal entries could be changed and those changes lost when the master entry is updated.

For example, simpleuser allows her friends to tag her entries over on LJ. She posts on Dreamwidth, crossposts, and thinks nothing of it. Friends read, tag the entry, and move on. Later on, simpleuser realizes she has a typo and edits her entry. She notices she didn't tag the entry on Dreamwidth and does that too. She updates and then...

What should happen to the tags over on LJ? If the client plays nicely, then they should be preserved... but are the new tags added as well? Should they overwrite? Should the LJ tags be pulled in and merged? Granted, simpleuser could not allow her friends to tag the entries, but the point is more to illustrate how easy it could be for the entries to get out of sync.

If there is a simple policy: "Dreamwidth always overwrites" that works, just needs to be made known up front.

Re: Musing about editing cross posts

[zvi]

My feeling is that the client behavior should probably follow the model of the website update, unless there's a compelling reason not to. at this point, the website edits crossposts in lockstep, so that everything matches; i.e. wipes out changes at the clone sites.

Re: Musing about editing cross posts

[spydielives]

So if the client supports cross-posting on its own, it shouldn't matter which of the clone entries it chooses to edit, they should all be updated to match *at that time*

[pixel]

I've not been happy with any of the clients currently available for linux, I post everything on LJ & DW with the site post functionality.

Like zvi said, I think the most important is dealing with the Access/Subscribe split, and allowing crossposting (I'll be doing that for some months to come.)

Thanks for bringing this up!

[spydielives]

Someone has already offered fub an invite code so that he can see what I was talking about when I mentioned supporting these two things directly. I really hope he takes the offer.