A radical idea for the future of IHG

[Zevel]

Hi CyborMatt,

While I was writing my requests post, I did some snooping around and came with an idea the future of IHG.

Now, it is pretty radical and may mean the end of the current incarnation of IHG as we know it.
However, I implore you to bear with me and consider it before you crucify me.

As I wrote in the other post, I rather like the DownThemAll extension.  I'm using it for sites that do not require special processing and find that it nicely complements IHG.  The way I see it, DTA is a very nice generic download manager while IHG is a more specialized download manager with an excellent "link translator".  Each has it's strong points so why duplicate effort?

IHG, or a derivative thereof, can be released as an add-on to DTA -- sort of like "Element Hiding Helper" is an extension for "Adblock Plus".

However, looking around, I found another extension, that tries to do just that: DTA AntiContainer.
So, again in the interest of minimizing duplicated effort, I humbly suggest looking into merging IHG with it.

Best wishes and happy holidays,
Zevel.

[cybormatt]

Interesting.

The author of DTA has already emailed me and proposed a combination of efforts.  I'm going to do it, but I'm still thinking of how to make it work.  If he is willing to take some of my code and put into DTA, then I think it would be a powerful download tool.

anyway, I don't foresee the end of IHG... but more like a merging.  There are a lot of good stuff I wrote for IHG that DTA lacks.  And vice versa.  Sounds exciting

[Zevel]

Hi Matt,

The author of DTA has already emailed me and proposed a combination of efforts.  I'm going to do it, but I'm still thinking of how to make it work.  If he is willing to take some of my code and put into DTA, then I think it would be a powerful download tool.

A lot of developers insist on maintaining full and exclusive control over their work, it takes a special kind of person to let go of the strings.
My respect for you has just jumped another notch.

anyway, I don't foresee the end of IHG... but more like a merging.  There are a lot of good stuff I wrote for IHG that DTA lacks.  And vice versa.  Sounds exciting

As I wrote, not the end of IHG, just the end of its *current* form (and the beginning of "IHG TNG" )
I am looking forward to the result of your cooperation, it is definitely going to be more than the sum of its parts.

[n0aX]

I'd still prefer standalone version development of IHG. I hope (if) with "merge", standalone will not stop.

[cybormatt]

In keeping with the life of IHG, I have decided that all my future work will be focused on making IHG work with DTA, and keeping it stand-alone.  I'm pretty damn set on this idea now.

[Amaranth]

Cybormatt,great to hear that...

I am a huge fan of both the add-ons and this news will only help in enhancing the functionality of both the softwares.A better finished product for both the involved parties.

Also I want to take this opportunity to thank you for this incredible software and wish you well for the future.And congratulations on being accepted into public access at Mozilla Add-Ons as well.

Goodluck and Godspeed...

[cybormatt]

Thank you!  I can't wait to see how my program takes off at the mozilla addons site.

[deepsepia]

My feeling is that generally, its better to keep these tools separate. Different things work in different situations. There are things which DTA will get, which IHG won't, and vice versa. And there are things which Flashgot will get which the others won't  . . . and then there's JDownloader, which can do stuff with things nothing else can handle (linked.in and the like)

So we've got all these smart people developing clever tools, and no two work exactly alike. It gives you more choices and flexibility when you look at a site which doesn't work with one, IMO

[cybormatt]

That is a true statement... plus one has to look at the complexity of adding more versatility to a program.  IHG is getting complex enough... hmm... well it won't hurt to see what sort of nightmare it would be to combine my work with DTA.

[Zevel]

The beauty is that, since both project are GPL2, we lose nothing.
If at one point Matt decides that the combination isn't working to his satisfaction, he can always go back to develop IHG as a standalone extension, but
(a) He'd have played with DTA's code, which can give him new implementation ideas, and
(b) DTA has benefited from exposure to IHG as well.

[cybormatt]

Exactly!  GPL (and all it's variants) is a great way to benefit everyone! 

[Zevel]

Please keep us updated on the progress (if any).
Thanks.

[cybormatt]

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted last.  I'm about to post 1.6.4 online... then for 1.6.5, I'll be looking at the DTA API to see what I can use.  This will be the first step in integrating it with DTA.  Hopefully by the end of this summer, I will have a successful integrated beast.