SoylentNews

quietus [soylentnews.org] writes:

So, I need to develop a service onto some server software on Github.

This open source project runs for well over 12 years now (it started back on SourceForge), and seems to be the only reliable piece of software implementing the protocol I need.

Still driven by its original author, it currently counts 573 files spread out over 131 directories, using 2 different programming languages, one macro language, 2 scripting languages and ofcourse the shell and Makefile.

Documentation exists for some functions, but not, ofcourse, for [an unknown number of] others. Documentation -- apart from one-line comments interspersed within the code -- consists of a short functionality description, parameters and return type. There is no architecture design nor much of explanation about how the different parts fit together.

I've already managed to insert a small proto service. In doing so, I noticed that, for one reason or another, I cannot directly write to the outside world; and also that the developer(s) implemented their own versions of specific standard library functions.

I've already sacrificed a newborn lamb and splattered its blood over my laptop, but I wonder, oh Soylentils, how would you approach this task? What steps would you take, what tools would you use, and what sacrifices would you make?

Original Submission