tbot

mIRC scripting is limited. For example, try logging to a MySQL server for doing webstats... I agree that for a novice programmer C++ is quite hard, but then again, I don't aim on eliminating MTAMA. Those who prefer mIRC scripting could still use MTAMA. But if you want to run scripts 24/7 I don't see mIRC as an option on a server, it's just way too much overhead. I'm already running test versions on my own server, and they seem to work very well. I just don't want to keep this advantage for myself only...

The problem how I see it is the dependency on mIRC, and therefore windows. The language isn't the biggest obstacle...

Whether 'scripting' will be easier with such a program depends on the person who is doing it. To create scripts requires sufficient knowledge of C++. As for the open-source, my design is based on a static dynamic design. That means that the structure of the program is extendible, but it does require recompiling (and thus having the source). I do want to emphasize the advantages for server admins. Many don't have the ability to run mIRC 24/7, and due to that choose to not run scripts (I also know an admin who _does_ run scripts, using mIRC under vmware in linux, a bit CPU-intensive for some little scripts, don't you think?). Besides that C++ opens more possibilities (for example, MySQL logging to create an interface to PHP, as well as much more). To sum it all up, MTAMA is limited and slow, and the mIRC scripting language isn't the neatest language around... This program should act as a replacement. (p.s. The idea just popped into my mind that it maybe is possible to not be fully open-source through releasing precompiled static link libraries for the common platforms. Yet, if it's possible, I don't think it's a very neat solution... )

Would the MTA dev team oppose the release of an open-source C++ program which basically functions like MTAMA, except that it's multi-platform and thus can run on the same host as the server itself (without the dependency on mIRC)? Since it involves reverse-engineering the administration protocol I'm a bit weary about whether the dev team will like it.