Ethereal-dev: Re: [Ethereal-dev] 0.10.10 next week?

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From: Jaap Keuter <jaap.keuter@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2005 14:15:45 +0100 (CET)
On Sat, 5 Mar 2005, ronnie sahlberg wrote:

> do we need plugin support?   it is a serious question.

Serious answer: Yes

[rant deleted]
> end of rant.

I think we shoudn't underestimate the use of the plugin model for
not-for-public dissectors and quick dissector development.
Private dissectors may be restricted from distribution (proprietary
protocols, linked to NDA's). So it may be unacceptable to build them into
installers, which may leak more easily, since they look like stock
Ethereal installers. The model is that stock installers are distributed
around, while the private dissectors are added to a lab installation only.
Dissector development based on the plugin model makes it:
1. Much faster to code/test/fix dissectors
2. Much easier to distribute many small updates while developing a
protocol and its dissector.

>From this point of view and taking your rant into account, we're not ready
for 1.0 yet. There are some basic properties that need to be implemented
before this has merit. One is stable external interfaces (like command
line, like plugin API), another is privilege seperation.

Regards,
Jaap