[Twisted-Python] ldaptor feedback

[Clark C. Evans]

Tommi,

Howdy.  Thank you for your initial help with ldaptor; it looks like
I'll be spending alot of time on LDAP in the next few months.

1.  I would like to see ldap in twisted proper, it is really a
    core protocol (like imap, etc.).   From what I heared there are
    two arguments against, size and licensing.

    As for size, I think that LDAP is so important that it really
    belongs in twisted.   It is at the same level as IMAP.   I do not
    want to have to go to an external module, hence LDAP is in-scope
    so the size argument does not matter to me.

    As for licensing, I understand your concerns.  However, it is very
    important for enforcement of copyright and for the ability to 'fix'
    the license that a single entity have the ability to license the
    and enforce the work as needed.    Long term I'd like to see Glyph
    form some sort of non-profit to hold the copyrights, or at the
    very least present a 'will' of sorts describing what happens to
    the copyrights in the event that he is incapacitated or gets 
    hit by a MAC truck.    For now, I'm not too worried about this.
    As for Glyph selling the software and making a profit... well, 
    as a bunch of individual packages this just is not an option at
    all, so better someone than no one.   But seriously, I trust that
    Glyph will spread the wealth to those who have really contributed
    to Twisted, perhaps by simply paying for Flights and Hotels for
    Python/Twisted conference if he ever makes bank with the copyright.
    In reality though, I think that this is a moot point; the most 
    important point is the ability to fix the copyright and pursue
    violators... without copyright powers this is too hard.
    
    So, Glyph approving, would you consider contributing ldaptor
    to twisted?

2.  Your package hierarchy needs help... lots of help.
   
    Let's start with this example... 

    from ldaptor.protocols.ldap.ldapsyntax import LDAPJournalOperation_Replace

    Arg!  First, ldaptor has one protocol... ldap.  So "protocols.ldap" is
    quite redundant.  Second, ldapsyntax is describing a ldap proxy 
    object with the ability to journal its changes and save.  It has
    nothing to do with "syntax" let alone "ldapsyntax", how about 
    'object' or 'proxy'?.  Third, I count 3 occurances of LDAP... Uncle!  
    Fourth, the class name is *huge* and using prefixes this way sucks, 
    JournalOperations should be in a file called 'journal'.    In short, 
    what I'd want to see...

       from ldaptor import ldap
       op = ldap.journal.Replace()

    The 'low-level' pureber and pureldap are really not protocol
    items so much as they are parsers/emitters.  You could stuff
    these, as well as the filter, ldif, and schema all into 
    another part of ldaptor, ldaptor.parse.ldif, etc.

    Anyway, for ldaptor to be understandable it really needs a 
    refactor like this.   Just look at your commands as to how
    ugly the packaging is.   Good packaging and naming takes quite
    a bit of effort and thought.

3.  I can help convert your public interfaces to use Deferreds, and I 
    can rewrite your examples to use flow (so that they are more
    readable).    In particular, I was playing with a flow version
    of your ldap client and it makes things quite clean; to use
    the client you have a generator which yield ldap commands...

    If I'm to help, I'll need commit access and you can't be 
    completely opposed to me restructuring/commenting things as
    I move along.   If you need an example of my work, see flow.py

Anyway, I'm curious how open you are to these items.   Adding this to
Twisted (with alot of work) is probably a good bargin; you get more
eyes helping your project along, documentation, etc.  

Best,

Clark