# Questions regarding architecture of a server-based image-pro

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/questions-regarding-architecture-of-a-server-based-image-pro/50379>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [December 15, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/questions-regarding-architecture-of-a-server-based-image-pro/50379 "2005-12-15T20:37:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dugla](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@dugla](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dugla)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/questions-regarding-architecture-of-a-server-based-image-pro/50379/1 "2005-12-15T20:37:37Z")

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Hello,

I’m planning to deploy a hybrid 2D/3D visual fx and image manipulation  
engine as a server accessible via the Web. So you can send Flickr  
images to it for all manner of image trickery.  
My engine uses a little text-based language I devised that is parsed  
and a resultant image produced. The UI for this service collects the  
input image and associated params and passes the collection to my  
engine where an instance of my language is constructed, parsed, and  
resultant processed image returned to the user.

My question regards architecture rather then any specif ROR technical  
issue. I am reluctant to wrap it in a Web service as the bulk of the  
functionality resides in the actual engine which is written in C++. Is  
there a happy middle ground between full blown Web service and  
old-school CGI style?

Should I think seriously about making a Ruby binding (ala RMagick) or  
is that overkill?

Thanks in advance,  
Doug Turner  
mobile: 781 775 3708  
skype: dduuggllaa

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**Author:** ![dugla](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@dugla](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dugla)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/questions-regarding-architecture-of-a-server-based-image-pro/50379/2 "2005-12-16T01:26:21Z")

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I’d be less concerned about the architecture than I am about providing a  
“service” that has the potential to execute arbitrarily complex and  
extremely time-consuming image processing algorithms on the server. How  
will you defend the processor and the hosting company against this? Are  
you charging money for this service and attempting to make a profit  
doing so, or are you planning to give this away?

Douglass T. wrote:

> Doug Turner  
> mobile: 781 775 3708  
> skype: dduuggllaa
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rails mailing list  
> removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid  
> [http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails](http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails)

–  
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky

> **[世界杯竞猜彩票-世界杯官网竞猜（集团）有限公司](http://www.linuxcapacityplanning.com/)**
>
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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dugla](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@dugla](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dugla)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/questions-regarding-architecture-of-a-server-based-image-pro/50379/3 "2005-12-16T03:47:58Z")

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Ed,

Actually my concern at this point is architecture, user experience,  
etc. Your comment about arbitrarily complex computations presumes I  
have not bounded those calcs. I have. The same goes for bandwidth  
considerations.

I’d really appreciate some feedback from the ROR smarties out there.

Thanks,  
Doug