Direct Connect: Just These Guys, Ya Know?

A Hubsoft Rundown

So i thought i do a review for our users here on the forum about functionality and hub software, its about 8 months since DSHub was discontinued by Pietry. So what has happened since has there been progress in other hub software or is the hub software still lacking functionality?

Well I’m gonna try and go threw the the currently available software out there for the hungry ADC hub owner so they can make the right choice for them. Lets start by analyzing whats out there for the normal user.

ADCH++

This hub software has basically been an empty shell so far the latest “stable” release is more then an year old and the gui that was in the works seems kinda dead since there is no trace of Sulan and the code but that doesn’t mean that the project is dead cause things are brewing in the BZR as of late due to Poys effort to make it into a working hub software for the normal user.

ADCH++ commands now:
– [00:39] <ADCH++> Available commands:
+ban nick [reason] [minutes] – ban an online user (aliases: +banuser)
+bancid CID [reason] [minutes]
+banip IP [reason] [minutes]
+banmsgre msg-reg-exp [reason] [minutes]
+bannick nick [reason] [minutes]
+bannickre nick-reg-exp [reason] [minutes]
+help
+history [lines] – display main chat messages logged by the hub (aliases: +hist)
+info [nick or CID or IP] – information about a user, or about the hub if no parameter given (aliases: +userinfo, +stats, +hubinfo)
+listbans (aliases: +showbans)
+loadbans (aliases: +reloadbans)
+mass message [level] (aliases: +massmessage)
+regme password
+regnick nick password level
+test
+topic [topic] (aliases: +changetopic, +hubtopic, +settopic)

This kinda looks promising but there are some stuff missing still like configuring hub from within cause most hub owners don’t wanna open up XML files every time they wanna change stuff also a simple first time configuration tool would be nice for those that aren’t that experienced with how to setup a hub software since GUI is still missing.

on the matter of GUI while im on the subject i know that most developers want to include a GUI for their software, i can understand this to a point a GUI takes performance away from the software etc.

But a standalone GUI for those that want a software would be nice that way users could have the best of two world non GUI and GUI like Pietry did with DSHub it can run with GUI or without and looking at the current market of ADC Hubs out there its pretty clear that DSHub still holds its ground after the discontinuation.

ADCH++ has 2 developer: arnetheduck and poy and updates are kinda irregular at best since they also maintain DC++, that has effected the popularity of ADCH++ due to lack of maintenance lets hope that this changes for the future if anyone wants to help out and provide missing stuff to ADCH++ such as scripts (lua/python) or ideas for the hub software don’t hesitate check out the recent version in BZR and help out.

µHub

This project is one that i have high hopes for the project of Jan Vidar Krey this poor overworked opera developer has really put effort into stability his hub software currently holds the record for most users on an ADC hub (2k users).

Now looking at at this hub software is basically the same idea as ADCH++ no gui, xml files configuration not the ideal for a beginner either but it has good documentation thats always a big plus for anyone that wants to learn how to use the software.

The get started guide is for Linux it could use an windows version just for clarification for the beginners most of the commands works but not all, it also contains a how to compile guide for both Windows and Linux that way they can checkout the latest version on Github

I know that this project plans on having a WebUI for interface that is certainly a nice idea if its done correctly we have seen this idea tried before and semi fail due to security reasons.

Updates for uHub has been really nice in the past and i hopes it will remain that way in the future.

Again if you the user want to help out then download a copy of the hub software and suggest ideas at the official tracker of uHub, that way Jan Vidar gets what users wants in the hub software.

The command list so far it might look thin but the basic things are in there.

<uHub> *** help: Available commands:
!help – Show this help message.
!stats – Show hub statistics.
!version – Show hub version info.
!history – Show the last chat messages.
!uptime – Display hub uptime info.
!kick – Kick a user
!ban – Ban a user
!unban – Lift ban on a user
!reload – Reload configuration files.
!shutdown – Shutdown hub.
!myip – Show your own IP.
!getip – Show IP address for a user
!whoip – Show users matching IP range
!broadcast – Send a message to all users
!log – Display log
!crash – Crash the hub (DEBUG).

Luadch

Last years winner of the “ADCPortal hub software project of the year” went kinda quiet for a long time it recently got a second wind when Blastbeat put some effort into it changing the core to libevent instead of his custom core thus improving performance.

The project also abandoned the old forum for a new host app forum on Sourceforge.

The project could use a new release on Sourceforge to get the message out that it is alive again and the SVN could use a cleanup since there are 3 different versions in the SVN.

I recently talked to Blastbeat about a simple GUI to hide the DOS window and at the time he seemed up to the idea of doing this he was also planning a rewrite of the project if memory serves me correctly.

Another good thing about luadch is the script base thats growing on its forum since the re-launch both in german and in english language with scripts like google bot and fresh ‘n’ stuff.

Conclusion

Developing open source isn’t always easy everyday life vs Internet time is always a factor to be taken in if updates doesn’t come out in time its always up to the developer to inform the user if such problems should appear so that the user base of the problem doesn’t go suffering.

Too maintain a software successfully it takes time and dedication to the users the project has too take in what the general mass wants in a hub software making it a user friendly software, GUI seems to be what the masses are screaming for in this day and age and the only hub software that has it is a discontinued one that says a lot about the user input in the ADC side.

So my question to the hub owners out there what are your thoughts and needs cause i think i got most of it into this post but please comment

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Toast – ADCPortal Maintainer