[Dxspider-support] Spider Protocol (was Problems with command" dx by ")

[charlie carroll]

Well, it looks like it is time for me to contribute my 2 cents worth.

I am a contester and primarily interested in the distribution of spots. 
Items such as ann, talk, mail, etc. are only of secondary interest to
me.

There needs to be some method to connect to other types of cluster s/w. 
For the moment, PC messages seem to be the only common way of
communicating.  Again, with my contester's hat on, the passing of
anything other than nodes and spots is not necessary.

I would support the concept of a limited set of PC messages to
non-DXSpider nodes just for the exchanging of spots and nodes.  For
DXSpider-to-DXSpider connections, a new, simultaneous protocol could be
developed.  HOWEVER, I think it extremely important to publish this
protocol so that the authors of other s/w could use it if they want to
maintain compatibility.

Contrary to Ian's statement, there are pockets of resistance in the
world to Linux!  At the moment I have 37 other nodes connecting to me,
12 are Linux and 25 are Windows.

Whatever is developed must run under both Linux and Windows.  In fact,
Dirk please change the opening page on www.dxcluster.org to say that
DXSpider currently runs under Linux AND Windows.  

73 charlie, k1xx