Re: Pixmaps, and client/server startup

["Carl Edman" <>]

Klaus Elsbernd <> writes:
> There is a whole bunch of discussions referring to the item slow
> connections.
>
> But I miss an agreed definition of what is a slow connection.

I proposed 1-2 kBytes/sec minimum bandwidth (in addition to some form  
of compression) and 100-200 ms roundtrip time maximum.  SLIP  
connections can live up to that (just barely) which is why I specified  
it. :-)  I also think that a protocol can be designed which is playable  
under those conditions (though people will always like faster  
connections).  As a matter of fact, I think I posted a draft of such a  
protocol a day or two ago.

> Does everybody play on a local network (ethernet) or are there serial
> lines between server and clients. Do you use slip or ppp?

Yep, some of us do.  I found playing X crossfire across a SLIP link  
just barely feasible.  It does work to some extent, but in the long run  
it was just too painful to me.  That is another reason I'm so involved  
in creating a good client/server protocol. :-)

> (baud-rate?)

Almost all SLIP connections these days are at V.32bis/V.42bis speeds of  
14.4kBps.  Considering how cheap and plentiful such modems are today,  
there is no reason to use anything less.  Over the next one or two  
years most that market will likely step up to V.34 which will exactly  
double the transfer speeds.

> Are there someone playing over connection to another
> country/state/city?

Yep, there are.

> Or, are there router between the client-display and the server? I
> can't test crossfire outside the university, because I don't know any
> servers which are not so far away.(Hi there, is anyone out there 

> near KL.)

If you want to see if you could use crossfire with a server under the  
client/server protocol, just ping it.  If you get times consistently  
below 200 ms, it should work.  Local players will still have the  
advantage of lower latency, but let's try to make that advantage no  
more crucial than necessary.

> We're managing a network of severall subnet (router included). And I
> noticed the following: There is no problem, when running on our
> ethernet, if the server is fast enough. If he isn't (I've tested
> server and display on my own colored 3/60) xpm-mode isn't desirable.

That will change with client/server.  Pixmaps are stored on the client  
and the amount of network bandwidth used will be independent of the  
graphics used.  Also if the protocol uses some 1-2 kBytes/second,  
calculate how many crossfire connections it will take to bring down an  
ethernet and .5-1 MBytes/second.

	Carl Edman