Challenge Overview
Over the last decade or so, I have overseen the development a suite of VB.NET software packages that allow me to run LAN-based financial markets scenarios. The software was converted from VB6 to VB.NET about 5 years ago, but the messaging remains reliant on MSMQ/Windows NT. Unfortunately, my last programmer left a couple of years ago, and while I was on sabbatical last year, my school made a number of changes to the network. One key change is that we are running virtual NT machines on top of Windows 7 machines. This is causing problems with CPU processing, messaging and other communications, and rendering the software barely functional.
I am hoping that TopCoder can help with several tasks. In order of priority:
1. Move the software from Visual SourceSafe (VSS) to a public version-control platform, like GitHub, which would initially only selected people to work with the code, but ultimately allow it to be open-source if we so choose. This would also allow me to look at the code early on in case I can assist TopCoder in understanding poorly-documented elements.
2. Transform the software to make it less dependent on our local domain. Right now, the software requires the Windows NT operating system, and uses MSMQ for message queuing. We would like to change the software so that messaging works on any Windows system, regardless of its domain. All calls to resource files similarly need to be generalized.
3. Rationalize the software so that it can be updated more easily. This might include updating or replacing plugins (described below), improving poorly-designed modules, and commenting.