From: Jeremy Bear <jeremy.bear@...>
Date: 2005-03-07T11:41:05+09:00
Subject: WEBrick for a local application?

Hello!

I'm considering writing a dream journaling program for a small group
of friends, and we're on different platforms.  I'm on Linux, one is on
FreeBSD, and others are on WindowsXP.  Basically, I wanted to do
something that would yield a nice cross-platform GUI.  I've looked at
using Tk, but I know that on the Linux/BSD platforms, it's rather
ugly.  I thought about making a Web based gui for the program, since I
could use CSS and such to really make the interface look nice.

I've looked at the WEBrick docs and samples, and, it looks like it
could yield a decent solution.  I've played around with it a little,
and I realized that starting it up at all makes an open port to the
outside world if you're online.  That isn't exactly what I wanted to
do.

My main question, I guess, is this:  Is there any way that I can use
WEBrick in a local setting only that will not open up a persons
computer to the outside world?  I think that it could make a nice
application base, but I don't want to compromise one's security while
using it.

I really wanted to keep downloads for these people to be kept to a
minimum, so I didn't really want to make them download a bunch of
extra GUI libraries.  I also wanted something that would run fairly
quick, and would be easy to use.  (for some reason I have had a hard
time grasping Fox, although Tk was easy enough)

Am I barking up the wrong tree with this?

Thanks,
Jeremy