Code execution environment. Wicked crazy idea.

[Setras]

I have had a freaking INSANE idea.

We can have an addon than will do nothing but store an execute any code.

And we could use external stuff (like guild chat, bulletin boards etc etc) to provide input to the addon.

And store code in config file (when character loggs off).

So basically we can have ONE never updated and never outdated addon that will update itself via guild chat or bulletin boards.

Just imagine - we can even make self-replicating systems by using peer-to-peer-like transfer.

You could update the program code, log in, seed that code to 5-10 people (or to 100-200 via automated bulletin board system) and it will replicate itself many many times and everybody will have the actual current script file.

Someone loggs-of, but there still is someone logged in, and he will replicate the code to every one who loggs in later.

And we can, like, use a library with standart textures and buttons/panels etc, and create any form of wisget using this library. Like "Windows API" but for allods. Many standartised add-ons.

But the wicked crazyness of the idea is that it can self-replicate without player interaction.

Like you see a message "your addon has been updated to version X.Y.Z, you can read the changelog by pressing the "Log" buttton".

Of course executing /ANY/ code is extremeley dangerous, so it is possible to use only certain list of characters for code replication, and use all other people for, like, data-replication etc etc.

I don't currently know which data can be /USEFULLY/ replicated, but any loggable data can be.

From my expirience (since the /UPDATE/ to AO multicore processor productivity BROKE my AO on my win 2K8R2 server) we don't need to host a separate guild-bot chatacter to stand somewhere 24/7 and re-set it after each AO error or disconnect, it's now (and was before, but i didnt get that idea earlier) possible to use an add-on that will replicate guild info through officers without their notice and interaction. Like someone uses an officer command "!addnews Saturday evening we will go to DC, raid 1, 20:00 GMT", and gets this into newslist, and after any other officer loggs in he gets this data into his bot too, so after first disconnects the second still acts as a guildbot renewing guild news.

The brilliant part is that i don't need to restart bots after they disconnect, because now it always works if there is at least one officer online!!!!

[Denai]

how do you want to update your addon code? use config file as addon? you can't rewrite addon file, can't save new code elsewhere.

[Setras]

Save new code as strings in config, and use assert and loadstring! (Thanks to Ramirez for pointing on this!)

[Denai]

and if somebody "update" your addon to "delete all my items at once v1.00" you will be happy?

how you can protect yourself?

[Setras]

1) Only guild oficers have access to way guild data is transmitted. I hope you don't have idiot officers in your guild.

2) As for bulletin boards, no protection for "torrent-like" system, but it is possible to update the code only by getting it from certain characters on your realm (it makes self-replicating much slower if these characters don't cover much of gametime, like play only 1-2 hours per day).

3) It is possible to forbid the use of sone functions. Get code, check it for "safety", all clear? Update it. Something wrong? Screw it (and "ban" the sender, replicate the banlist xD we may accept the code just from 47 lvl characters, for example).

Before execution we may check the code on functions like "drop item" etc etc.

Well yeah, it reminds me about polymorphic viruses, so the ONLY safe way is to get code from trusted sources, which will be predefined.

But we can use public networks to transfer data.

I think i may make something funny in a week or two.

[Setras]

I mean, we need to ensure that that code has no functions that may delete, remove, disband, etc etc, and assert, of course.

[Гость wait]

imo the game is not worth the candle =\

[Denai]

Quote:

I hope you don't have idiot officers in your guild.

All of them - 100% Idiots. My guild is Idiots graveyard!

=)

[Setras]

Well, "it does not worth the troubles" or something like that.

That's for people being confused by the candle xD

[Гость wait]

Quote:

for people being confused by the candle

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/The+game+is+not+worth+the+candle

[Setras]

Ty, never ever heard such phrase in any language but russian, that looked a lil "google-d" to me xD