Nmap Development mailing list archives
Re: [GSOC] ncat gui idea
From: Fyodor <fyodor () insecure org>
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:44:32 -0700
On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 01:45:33PM +0300, Shinnok wrote:
I would like to probe my idea for this GSOC iteration for nmap against the nmap-dev list. What I am thinking about is a GUI for Ncat,
That sounds like a clever and potentially valuable idea to me. We would seriously consider such an application.
written in native C++ code and Qt.
That part makes it a harder sell. Nmap already ships with a GUI named Zenmap which is written with Python and PyGTK. Remember that maintaining software is usually more work over the long term than the initial work of writing it, and using a consistent set of software infrastructure makes maintenance much easier. It substantially eases the cross-platform build process and also reduces the number of software libraries and programming languages that maintainers must know. So I wouldn't rule out SoC funding for a Qt GUI for Ncat, but it would be a very tough sell. Of course you are welcome and encouraged to add Ncat support to your NetcatGUI on your own. The need to reduce software dependencies only applies to packages we ship (e.g. with Nmap). But the main goal of SoC for us is to help students produce code that can be integrated with Nmap and used by millions of people after just a few months of development. Remember that the hardest part of creating a great Ncat GUI is designing an efficient, intuitive, well-organized, and powerful interface. Writing the code (whether in Qt or PyGTK) will likely take a minority of the time.
Another reason that i am sending this e-mail is to probe the nmap's team and community need for a new GUI for nmap.
Everyone prefers writing a new program from scratch, but (except when there is a pressing need requiring a rewrite), we (Nmap project and Nmap users) normally get the most value from spending the time improving the existing code rather than trying to reinvent the wheel from scratch. Writing a new Nmap GUI would be fun and you're certainly welcome and encouraged to do that on your own (including mailing test releases to nmap-dev, etc.) But we probably wouldn't sponsor such a thing for SoC. Again, we're mostly looking for code that stands a high chance of being integrated into Nmap. Now if you started an Nmap Qt GUI and by next year it was competitive with Zenmap in terms of UI and features, we'd consider a SoC project to enhance it. But don't underestimate how hard it would be to rewrite a GUI like Nmap. We've had numerous SoC students spend the summer just implementing specific features for the existing Zenmap. I hope this mail doesn't sound discouraging! I'm just trying to guide you toward the ideas we're most likely to accept. I'd encourage you to apply for Nmap SoC in any case. Cheers, Fyodor _______________________________________________ Sent through the nmap-dev mailing list http://cgi.insecure.org/mailman/listinfo/nmap-dev Archived at http://seclists.org/nmap-dev/
Current thread:
- [GSOC] ncat gui idea Shinnok (Mar 27)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui idea Shinnok (Mar 27)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui idea Toni Ruottu (Mar 27)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui idea David Fifield (Mar 27)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui ideaa Shinnok (Mar 28)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui ideaa Shinnok (Mar 28)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui ideaa Toni Ruottu (Mar 29)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui ideaa Shinnok (Mar 28)
- Re: [GSOC] ncat gui idea Fyodor (Mar 30)