[icecast] directory organization

[Jack Moffitt]

Hello all,

I've collected my thoughts on directory organization and am presenting
them here for your comments.

This does not address what kinds of data are stored in the directory
(except for the obvious things needed to fulfill these requirements)
nor does it really address how the directory is maintained, implemented
or accessed.

This is meant to be a general overview of what our how our new directory
system will be organized, and there's a short blurb at the end that
should give you some idea (based on the ideas presented) of why we
need a new directory and why I am taking my time and much care to bring
a new (and better!) one about.

I will be writing up some other things similar to this.  One on
directory maintenance (which is of interest to broadcasters and of
some interest to users) and probably something on how I am thinking
to implement this system.

Please read and comment.

jack.

=====================

How the directory is organized
------------------------------

going from simple to complex, here are several examples of
how the directory should be organized.

Type 1: one stream (simplest case)
--------------------------

this is probably the simplest case.  a person has one stream they
are broadcasting and would like to list in the directory. there are
no relationships to anything else in the directory at all.  this is 
currently how the directory works.

Type 2: one stream with organized relays
--------------------------------

A person has one stream, which they have several relays (mirrors) of.
All of these mirrors are grouped under this one stream, and should
not appear as separate entities in their own right.  This is somewhat
similar to the Shoutcast directory's clustering.