If we need to extend it later using code from FreeDCE may be possible, but right now we :
a) Don't know of *any* pure DCE-RPC applications people want to run
you _are_ aware that REGEDT32, USRMGR.EXE, SRVMGR.EXE and most of the NT 4.0 Control Panel components are actually DCE/RPC programs?
see, your point is _exactly_ the problem ! there aren't any dce-rpc applications in a strict interpretation of what you say, because dce-rpc is middleware: it's a communicator, an intermediary, and it absolutely xxxx-all use on its own [imagine trying to sell ONC/RPC's portmap as a stand-alone application]
and there is another less-strict and more subtle interpretation of your statement.
when people run mozilla, they know it, they see it, it's in-their-face. when they run a win32 program, they know it, they see it, it "happens".
that DCE-RPC is "middleware" of the highest order (and as such is completely invisible) is _exactly_ the problem: people do not even _know_ it's there!
so you and everyone in the free software community can be forgiven for not being aware of any dce-rpc applications that people want to run.
like i said in my advogato article 817, dce-rpc is like the Boss 13L V10 engine that Ford put in their 1994 Ford Mustang Cobra "Concept Car": it's capable of producing wheel-spin in 4th gear all the way up to 110mph (i've seen the video!!!)
... yet an engine is xxxx-all use without a car.
... would you build a car with the engine integrated into the chassis??
no, of course not, because you would have seen enough examples of cars to know that that would produce a nightmare design and maintenance headache.
... if you were _given_ a suitable engine for free, would you look at ways of finding engine-mounts and gearbox adaptors?
i realise that the answer to _that_ depends on how far down the road you had got in building your kit car....
so, to recap the analogy:
* FreeDCE is the engine
* DCOM is the after-market supercharger or Turbocharger, exhaust, mod chip, disk brakes and alloy wheels, and the Pi Research Telemetry equipment, all of which makes it essential for you to qualify for - and win - certain kinds of races.
* NTLMSSP and "Named Pipes" are the gearbox.
* Win32 applications are the chassis
* The Win32 GUI is the steering wheel, seat and pedals.
... unless it was electric, you wouldn't build a car without those components, would you?
l.
mike, hi,
thank you for responding. your message contains misunderstandings that i do not at present have time (actually money) to correct.
in brief:
1) yes FreeDCE, as wez has kindly pointed out and added, provides code that results wire-compatibility with MSRPC, has most of the compiler-compatibility features required with MIDL,
2) i am aware of your dialog with the samba team, and i am aware that their focus and interest is in file, print and login services - wire-compatibility with NT 3.5 up to 5.0 (aka windows 2000).
3) yes i know FreeDCE doesn't contain a full DCOM implementation, and wez has responded as to why this is the case.
as i said i am not in a position to respond to and give an accurate answer to your statements at this time.
l.
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Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton