client-server

David Merrill dmerrill@lupercalia.net
Wed, 27 Dec 2000 11:09:26 -0500


On Wed, Dec 27, 2000 at 11:55:11AM -0500, James LewisMoss wrote:
> >>>>> On Fri, 22 Dec 2000 19:25:03 +0000 (GMT), "Al B. Snell" <alaric@alaric-snell.com> said:
> 
>  Al> I would suggest making good use of RPC over UDP - the connection
>  Al> should start off with UDP, and only make TCP connections when
>  Al> "transactions" are being performed. UDP will be fine for reading
>  Al> data, since if a packet gets lost, a retransmit will have no
>  Al> idempotency problems... TCP will implement the retransmit in a
>  Al> much bulkier way. RPC over UDP is as fast as an Internet protocol
>  Al> can *ever* get.
> 
> OK.  So the question I have is "So what?"  HTTP is slower than a UDP
> protocol because it's TCP (that's the basic gist of this right?).  So
> what?  Is it too slow for our uses?  No one knows because it hasn't
> been tested.  My bet: nope not anywhere near too slow.
> 
> Now.  What's simpler?  What is more easily understandable?  What's
> more universal?  Those are the questions that seem more important to
> me.

I think James is right here. While there may be a slight difference in
speed, it is unlikely to be very significant. Robustness and
simplicity seem more important than raw speed to me.

Of course, I know little of what you are talking about, so I can't
debate the fine points of one approach over another as you are. It
just seems you are so focused on the speed issue you aren't
considering other factors.

-- 
Dr. David C. Merrill                     http://www.lupercalia.net
Linux Documentation Project                dmerrill@lupercalia.net
Collection Editor & Coordinator            http://www.linuxdoc.org
                                       Finger me for my public key

To the cross roads I must go
To find a world unseen
Fear and wonder will I know,
And be a bridge between
		-- To the Crossroads, Starhawk