From a04922858cd05f9c24435116734dc735d56b1053 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Siddharth Ravikumar <sravik@bgsu.edu>
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2016 00:16:06 -0500
Subject: Edited chapter 3.

 - Fixed typos.
 - First/Second person -> Third person.
 - Added links to modules, functions, classes as footnotes.
 - "combox database" or  -> "combox data store"
 - "database" -> "data store"
 - Removed "Language choice" section; too personal to include in a
   formal report.
 - Removed "With the benefit of hindsight"; does not fit in this report,
   removed it for the sake of brevity.
 - Figure 3-1 -> Major changes - grayscaled, changed fonts, made it
   specific to combox file creation.
---
 report/chapters/3-arch-d.tex | 394 ++++++++++++++++++-------------------------
 1 file changed, 163 insertions(+), 231 deletions(-)

(limited to 'report/chapters/3-arch-d.tex')

diff --git a/report/chapters/3-arch-d.tex b/report/chapters/3-arch-d.tex
index 98c739a..6cb854b 100644
--- a/report/chapters/3-arch-d.tex
+++ b/report/chapters/3-arch-d.tex
@@ -11,59 +11,62 @@
 
 combox consists of two main components -- the combox directory and the
 node directories. The combox directory is the place where the user
-stores all her files; the node directories are the directories under
+stores all the files; the node directories are the directories under
 which encrypted shards of the files (in the combox directory) are
 scattered to. A node directory is the file storage provider's
 directory, for instance, the Dropbox directory and the Google Drive
 directory are node directories.
 
-When a file \verb+file.ext+ is created in the combox directory, combox
-splits the \verb+file.ext+ into \verb+N+ shards, where \verb+N+ is the
-number of node directories; if there are two node directories (Dropbox
-directory and Google Drive driver), then 2 shards are created. Each
-shard of the file is then encrypted and the encrypted shards are
-spread evenly across the node directories; if there are two node
-directories -- Dropbox directory and Google Drive directory -- combox
-will create two encrypted shards of file \verb+file.ext+ --
-\verb+file.ext.shard0+, \verb+file.ext.shard1+ -- and place one
+When a file \verb+humans.txt+ is created in the combox directory,
+combox splits \verb+humans.txt+ into \verb+N+ shards, where \verb+N+
+is the number of node directories; if there are two node directories
+(Dropbox directory and Google Drive directory), then 2 shards are
+created. Each shard of the file is then encrypted and the encrypted
+shards are spread evenly across the node directories; if there are two
+node directories -- Dropbox directory and Google Drive directory --
+combox will create two encrypted shards of file \verb+humans.txt+ --
+\verb+humans.txt.shard0+, \verb+humans.txt.shard1+ -- and place one
 encrypted shard under the Dropbox directory and the other encrypted
 shard under the Google Drive directory. Now, the Dropbox client and
 the Google client will sync the respective shards that was place under
-their directories to their servers.
+their directories to their respective servers.
 
 \begin{figure}[h]
 \includegraphics[scale=0.6]{3-combox-structure}
-\caption{High level view of combox on two computers.}
+\caption{High level overview of how file creation works when combox is
+  setup on two computers.}
 \label{fig:3-combox-structure}
 \end{figure}
 
-Now, we can move to another computer and start combox on it. First,
-the node clients (Dropbox client and the Google Drive client) will
-sync the new encrypted shards to their respective directories. Once
-the encrypted shards are synced to the node directories, combox will
-pick the encrypted shards -- \verb+file.ext.shard0+,
-\verb+file.ext.shard1+ -- decrypt them and reconstruct into
-\verb+file.ext+ and place in the respective location under the combox
-directory; figure \ref{fig:3-combox-structure} illustrates this. The
-process is similar for file modification, deletion and rename/move.
+Now, when the user moves to their second computer, the node clients
+(Dropbox client and the Google Drive client) will sync the new
+encrypted shards to their respective directories. Once the encrypted
+shards are synced to the node directories, combox will pick the
+encrypted shards -- \verb+humans.txt.shard0+, \verb+humans.txt.shard1+
+-- decrypt them and reconstruct into \verb+humans.txt+ and place it in
+the respective location under the combox directory; figure
+\ref{fig:3-combox-structure} illustrates this. The process is similar
+for file modification, deletion and rename/move.
 
 \subsection{combox configuration}\label{sec:3-combox-config}
 
-combox configuration triggers automatically when combox finds that it
-is not configured on this computer. The combox configuration setups up
-the combox directory; asks the user to point to the location of the
-node directories; reads the key (passphrase) to be used to encrypt
-file shards that are spread across the node directories. The combox
+combox configuration wizard triggers automatically when combox finds
+that it is not configured. The combox configuration setups up the
+combox directory; asks the user to point to the location of the node
+directories; reads the key (passphrase) to be used to encrypt file
+shards that are spread across the node directories. The combox
 configuration is written to
 \verb+$HOME/.combox/config.yaml+; this YAML configuration file can be
 manually edited by the user.
 
-The \verb+config_cb+ function in the \verb+combox.config+ module is
-responsible for carrying out the combox configuration. Prior to
-version \verb+0.2.0+, the combox configuration was purely done through
-the CLI, from \verb+0.2.0+ onwards, be default, the combox
-configuration done through a graphical interface; it is still possible
-to configure combox through the CLI with the \verb+--cli+ switch.
+The
+\verb+config_cb+\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/config.py?id=fb7fdd21\#n90}
+function in the \verb+combox.config+ module is responsible for
+carrying out the combox configuration. Prior to version \verb+0.2.0+,
+the combox configuration was purely done through the CLI, from
+\verb+0.2.0+ on wards, by default, the combox configuration done
+through a graphical interface; it is still possible to configure
+combox through the CLI with the \verb+--cli+ switch.
 
 A demo of combox configuration using the graphical interface on
 GNU/Linux can be viewed at
@@ -75,55 +78,57 @@ OS X can be viewed at
 \subsection{combox directory monitor}\label{sec:3-combox-cdirm}
 
 combox directory monitor is an instance of
-\verb+combox.events.ComboxDirMonitor+ monitoring the combox directory
-for changes. When changes are made to the combox directory, the combox
-directory monitor is responsible for correctly detecting the type of
-change and doing the right thing at that instance of time.
+\verb+combox.events.ComboxDirMonitor+\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/events.py?id=fb7fdd21\#n42}
+monitoring the combox directory for changes. When changes are made to
+the combox directory, the combox directory monitor is responsible for
+correctly detecting the type of change and doing the right thing at
+that instance of time.
 
 When a file is created in the combox directory, the combox directory
 monitor will take that file, split it into \verb+N+ (equal to the
 number of node directories) shards, encrypt the shards, spread the
 encrypted shards to the node directories, and finally store the hash
-of the file in the local combox database.
+of the file in the local combox data store.
 
 When a file is modified in the combox directory, the combox directory
 monitor will take that modified file, split it into \verb+N+ (equal to
 the number of node directories) shards, encrypt the shards, spread the
 encrypted shards to the node directories, and finally update the hash
-of the file in the local combox database.
+of the file in the local combox data store.
 
 When a file is deleted in the combox directory, the combox directory
 monitor will remove the encrypted shards of the file in the node
 directories and get rid of the file's hash from the local combox
-database.
+data store.
 
 When a file is moved/renamed in the combox directory, the combox
-directory monitor will move/rename encrypted in the node directories,
-the file's hash from the local combox database and store the hash of
-file under its new name.
+directory monitor will move/rename encrypted shards in all the node
+directories, remove the file's hash from the local combox data store
+and store the hash of file under its new name.
 
 \subsection{Node directory monitor}\label{sec:3-combox-nodirm}
 
 Node directory monitor is an instance of
-\verb+combox.events.NodeDirMonitor+ monitoring a node directory. When
-changes are made to the node directory, the node directory monitor is
-responsible for correctly detecting the type of change and doing the
-right thing at that instance of time. Each node directory has a
-dedicated node directory monitor; if there are 2 node directories,
-then combox will instantiate 2 node directory monitors.
+\verb+combox.events.NodeDirMonitor+\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/events.py?id=fb7fdd21\#n352}
+monitoring a node directory. When changes are made to the node
+directory, the node directory monitor is responsible for correctly
+detecting the type of change and doing the right thing at that
+instance of time. Each node directory has a dedicated node directory
+monitor; if there are 2 node directories, then combox will instantiate
+2 node directory monitors.
 
 When an encrypted shard is created in the node directory due to a file
 created on another computer, the node directory first checks if the
 respective file' encrypted shard(s) has/have arrived in other node
 directory/directories. If all encrypted shards have arrived, then the
 node directory takes all the encrypted shards, decrypts them,
-reconstructs the file and creates the file in the combox directory of
+reconstructs the file and puts the file in the combox directory on
 this computer and stores the hash of the newly created file in the
-local combox database. If the all the encrypted shards have not
-arrived, then the node directory does not do anything. It must be
-observed here that the node directory monitor of the last node
-directory which gets the encrypted shard will be the one to perform
-the file reconstruction and creation.
+local combox data store. If all the encrypted shards have not arrived,
+then the node directory does not do anything. It must be observed here
+that the node directory monitor of the last node directory which gets
+the encrypted shard will be the one to perform the file reconstruction
+and creation.
 
 When an encrypted shard is modified in the node directory due to a
 file modified on another computer, the node directory first checks if
@@ -131,21 +136,21 @@ the respective file' modified encrypted shard(s) has/have arrived in
 other node directory/directories. If all modified encrypted shards
 have arrived, then the node directory takes all the modified encrypted
 shards, decrypts them, reconstructs the file and puts the modified
-version of the file in the combox directory of this computer and
-updates the file's hash in the local combox database. If the all the
+version of the file in the combox directory on this computer and
+updates the file's hash in the local combox data store. If all the
 modified encrypted shards have not arrived, then the node directory
 does not do anything. It must be observed here that the node directory
 monitor of the last node directory which gets the modified encrypted
-shard will be the one to perform the file reconstruction and will place
-the modified file in the combox directory.
+shard will be the one to perform the file reconstruction and will
+place the modified file in the combox directory.
 
 When an encrypted shard is deleted in the node directory due to a file
 deleted on another computer, the node directory first checks if the
 respective file' encrypted shard(s) has/have been deleted in other
 node directory/directories. If all encrypted shards have been deleted
 from the node directories, then the node directory deletes the file in
-the combox directory of this computer and removes its information from
-the local combox database. If all encrypted shards have not been
+the combox directory on this computer and removes its information from
+the local combox data store. If all encrypted shards have not been
 deleted, then the node directory does not do anything. It must be
 observed here that the node directory monitor of the last node
 directory in which the encrypted shard is deleted will be the one to
@@ -157,9 +162,9 @@ checks if the respective file' moved/renamed encrypted shard(s)
 has/have arrived in other node directory/directories. If all
 moved/renamed encrypted shards have arrived, then the node directory
 takes all the moved/renamed encrypted shards, decrypts them,
-reconstructs the moved/renamed file and puts the moved/renamed the file
-in the combox directory of this computer and stores the hash under the
-file' new name in the local combox database. If the all the
+reconstructs the moved/renamed file and puts the moved/renamed file in
+the combox directory on this computer and stores the hash under the
+file' new name in the local combox data store. If the all the
 moved/renamed encrypted shards have not arrived, then the node
 directory does not do anything. It must be observed here that the node
 directory monitor of the last node directory which gets the
@@ -167,37 +172,37 @@ moved/renamed encrypted shard will be the one to perform the file
 reconstruction and will place the moved/renamed file in the combox
 directory.
 
-\subsection{Database structure}\label{sec:3-combox-db}
-
-To keep it simple, stupid, I decide to maintain bare minimum
-information about files, stored in the combox directory, and depend on
-file system events to do the right thing when changes takes place in
-the combox directory.
-
-The only information that is stored in the database, about a file in
-the combox directory is its SHA-512 hash; The SHA-512 hash of a file
-is enough information to detect in the file. In the database, there
-also four dictionaries -- \verb+file_moved+, \verb+file_deleted+,
-\verb+file_created+, \verb+file_modified+ -- which tracks the number
-of shards of a file that was moved/deleted/created/modified due the
-respective file being moved/deleted/created/modified on another
-computer; these four dictionaries are primarily used by the
-\verb+NodeDirMonitor+ to detect remote file
-movement/deletion/creation/modification and triggering file
-reconstruction from shards at the right time.
-
-The database is a JSON file on the disk, stored by default at
+\subsection{combox data store}\label{sec:3-combox-db}
+
+To keep it simple, stupid, combox tracks bare minimum information
+about the files, stored in the combox directory, and depends on file
+system events to do the right thing when changes takes place in the
+combox directory.
+
+The only information that is stored in the combox data store, about a
+file in the combox directory is its SHA-512 hash; The SHA-512 hash of
+a file is enough information to detect changes in the file. In the
+data store, there also four dictionaries -- \verb+file_moved+,
+\verb+file_deleted+, \verb+file_created+, \verb+file_modified+ --
+which tracks the number of shards of a file that was
+moved/deleted/created/modified due the respective file being
+moved/deleted/created/modified on another computer; these four
+dictionaries are primarily used by the \verb+NodeDirMonitor+ to detect
+remote file movement/deletion/creation/modification and triggering
+file reconstruction from the encrypted shards at the right time.
+
+The data store is a JSON file on the disk, stored by default at
 \verb+$HOME/.combox/silo.db+. The
 \verb+combox.silo.ComboxSilo+\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/silo.py?id=v0.2.2\#n29}
-is the sole interface to read from and write to database. The database
-is primarily accessed and modified by the combox directory monitor
-(\verb+ComboxDirMonitor+) and the node directory monitor
-(\verb+NodeDirMonitor+) through a shared Lock that ensures that only
+is the sole interface to read from and write to the data store. The
+data store is primarily accessed and modified by the combox directory
+monitor (\verb+ComboxDirMonitor+) and the node directory monitor
+(\verb+NodeDirMonitor+) through a shared \verb+threading.Lock+ that ensures that only
 one entity\footnote{An entity can be the combox directory monitor or
   one of the node directory monitors} can access/modify the database
 at a time.
 
-Below is an illustration of the structure of the combox database:
+Below is an illustration of the structure of the combox data store:
 
 \begin{verbatim}
 {
@@ -216,16 +221,11 @@ Below is an illustration of the structure of the combox database:
 The \verb+combox.silo.ComboxSilo+, which is the sole interface to read
 from and write to the database, uses the pickleDB
 library\cite{pylib:pickledb}. The pickleDB is a very basic key-value
-store which allows one to store information in the JSON format; if I
-would have not found this library or if this library was never by
-Harrison Erd, I've would have written something very similar to this
-library as part of combox to realize the basic key-value storage that
-is needed to track the hashes of the files stored in the combox
-directory.
+store which allows one to store information in the JSON format.
 
-It must be noted that the combox database stored on each computer is
+It must be noted that the combox data store on each computer is
 independent and does not communicate or make transactions with the
-combox databases located in other computers.
+combox data store located in other computers.
 
 \section{combox modules overview}
 
@@ -251,105 +251,82 @@ This section gives an overview of each of the combox modules with
 extreme brevity:
 
 \begin{description}
-\item[combox.cbox] This module contains \verb+run_cb+ function runs
-  combox; it creates an instance \verb+threading.Lock+ for database
-  access and a shared \verb+threading.Lock+ for the
+\item[combox.cbox]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/cbox.py?id=fb7fdd21}
+  This module contains \verb+run_cb+ function that starts/initiates
+  combox; this function creates an instance \verb+threading.Lock+ for
+  combox data store access and another instance of
+  \verb+threading.Lock+ which is shared by instances of
   \verb+combox.events.ComboxDirMonitor+ and
   \verb+combox.events.NodeDirMonitor+; it initializes an instance
   \verb+combox.events.ComboxDirMonitor+ that monitors the combox
   directory and an instance of \verb+combox.events.NodeDirMonitor+ for
-  each node directory for monitoring the node directories. This
-  modules also houses the \verb+main+ function that parses commandline
-  arguments, starts combox configuration if needed or loads the combox
-  configuration file to start running combox.
-\item[combox.config] Accomodates two import functions --
-  \verb+config_cb+ and \verb+get_nodedirs+. The \verb+config_cb+ is
-  the combox configuration function that allows the user to configure
-  combox; this function was designed in a such way that it was
-  possible to use for both CLI and GUI methods of configuring
+  each node directory. This modules also houses the \verb+main+
+  function that parses commandline arguments, starts combox
+  configuration if needed or loads the combox configuration file to
+  start running combox.
+\item[combox.config]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/config.py?id=fb7fdd21}
+  Accommodates two import functions -- \verb+config_cb+ and
+  \verb+get_nodedirs+. The \verb+config_cb+ is the combox
+  configuration function that allows the user to configure combox;
+  this function was designed in a such way that it could be used by
+  both the commandline and graphical interfaces for configuring
   combox. The \verb+get_nodedirs+ function returns, as a list, the
   paths of the node directories; this function use used in numerous
   places in other combox modules.
-\item[combox.crypto] This has functions for encrypting and decrypting
-  data; encrypting and decrypting shards (\verb+encrypt_shards+ and
+\item[combox.crypto]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/crypto.py?id=fb7fdd21}
+  This has functions for encrypting and decrypting data; encrypting
+  and decrypting shards (\verb+encrypt_shards+ and
   \verb+decrypt_shards+); a function for splitting a file into shards,
   encrypting those shards and spreading them across node directories
   (\verb+split_and_encrypt+); a function for decrypting the shards
   from the node directories, reconstructing the file from the
-  decrypted shards and put the file back to the combox directory
+  decrypted shards and putting the file to the combox directory
   (\verb+decrypt_and_glue+). Functions \verb+split_and_encrypt+ and
   \verb+decrypt_and_glue+ are the two functions that that are
   extensively used by the \verb+combox.events+ module; all other
-  functions in this module are pretty much helper functions are
+  functions in this module are pretty much helper functions for
   \verb+split_and_encrypt+ and \verb+decrypt_and_glue+ functions and
   are not used by other modules.
-\item[combox.events] This module took the most time to write and test
-  and it is the most complex module in combox at the time of writing
-  this report. It contains just two classes -- \verb+ComboxDirMonitor+
-  and \verb+NodeDirMonitor+. The \verb+ComboxDirMonitor+ inherits the
+\item[combox.events]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/events.py?id=fb7fdd21}
+  This module took the most time to write and test and it is the most
+  complex module in combox at the time of writing this report. It
+  contains just two classes -- \verb+ComboxDirMonitor+ and
+  \verb+NodeDirMonitor+. The \verb+ComboxDirMonitor+ inherits the
   \verb+watchdog.events.LoggingEventHandler+ and is responsible for
   monitoring for changes in the combox directory and doing the right
-  thing when change happens in the combox directory. The
+  thing when a change happens in the combox directory. The
   \verb+NodeDirMonitor+ also inherits
   \verb+watchdog.events.LoggingEventHandler+ and similarly responsible
   for monitoring a node directory and doing the right thing when a
   change happens in the node directory; subjectively,
   \verb+NodeDirMonitor+ is slightly more complex than the
   \verb+ComboxDirMonitor+.
-\item[combox.file] This is the second largest module in combox. It
+\item[combox.file]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/file.py?id=fb7fdd21} This is the second largest module in combox. It
   contains utility functions for reading, writing, moving
-  files/directiores, hashing files, splitting a file into shards, glue
+  files/directories, hashing files, splitting a file into shards, gluing
   shards into a file, manipulating directories inside combox and node
   directories.
-\item[combox.gui] Contains the \verb+ComboxConfigDialog+ class; it is
-  the graphical interface for configuring combox. The class uses the
-  Tkinter library\cite{pylib:tkinter} for spawing graphical
-  elements. Other graphical libraries include PyQt\cite{pylib:qt}
-  were considered Tkinter was chosen over others because it works on
-  all Unix systems and Microsoft's Windows and it is part of the core
-  python (version 3).
-\item[combox.log] All the messages to \verb+stdout+ and \verb+stderr+
-  are sent through the functions \verb+log_i+ and \verb+log_e+
-  functions defined in this module.
-\item[combox.silo] Contains the \verb+ComboxSilo+ class which is the
+\item[combox.gui]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/gui.py?id=fb7fdd21}
+  Contains the \verb+ComboxConfigDialog+ class; it is the graphical
+  interface for configuring combox. The class uses the Tkinter
+  library\cite{pylib:tkinter} for spawning graphical elements. Other
+  graphical libraries including PyQt\cite{pylib:qt} were considered,
+  Tkinter was chosen over others due to compatibility with all Unix,
+  Unix-like systems and Microsoft Windows and it is part of the
+  standard python library from python version 3 on wards.
+\item[combox.log]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/log.py?id=fb7fdd21}
+  All the messages to \verb+stdout+ and \verb+stderr+ are sent through
+  the \verb+log_i+ and \verb+log_e+ functions defined in this module.
+\item[combox.silo]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/silo.py?id=fb7fdd21} Contains the \verb+ComboxSilo+ class which is the
   canonical interface for combox for managing information about the
   files in the combox directory. Internally, the \verb+ComboxSilo+
   class uses the pickleDB library\cite{pylib:pickledb}.
-\item[combox.\_version] This is \emph{private} module that contains
+\item[combox.\_version]\footnote{https://git.ricketyspace.net/combox/tree/combox/\_version.py?id=fb7fdd21} This is \emph{private} module that contains
   variables that contain the value of the present version and release
   of combox. The \verb+get_version+ function in this module returns
   the full version number; this function used by \verb+setup.py+.
 \end{description}
 
-\section{Language choice}
-
-Back in October of 2014, I was learning to write in Python and when I
-had to start working on combox, I chose to write combox in Python. In
-my first commit to the combox repository, I had to say this about
-Python:
-
-\begin{verbatim}
-commit 2def977472b2e77ee88c9177f2d03f12b0263eb0
-Author: rsiddharth <rsiddharth@*redacted*>
-Date:   Wed Oct 29 23:24:58 2014 -0400
-
-    Initial commit: File splitter & File gluer done.
-
-    ...
-
-    I like to write python FWIW. But after reading a dialect of Lisp when
-    I come back to python, it does not look very beautiful. I guess I'm
-    pretty convinced that there is no language that can ape the beauty of
-    Lisp.
-\end{verbatim}
-
-If I were to write that commit message today (\verb+2016-02-04+), I
-would've phrased my reflections about Python differently. While I've
-not found a language that is as intrinsically beautiful as Lisp, I
-think it is not quite right to compare Lisp and Python. Python is a
-very readable language and it tends to be very accessible to
-beginners. Also, it is hard to write unreadable Python code.
-
 \section{DRY}
 
 The core functionality of combox is to split, encrypt file shards,
@@ -357,20 +334,17 @@ spread them across node directories (Google Drive and Dropbox) and
 decrypt, glue shards and put them back to the combox directory when a
 file is created/modified/deleted/moved in another computer. The plan
 was to use external libraries to accomplish things that fell outside
-the realm of what I consider the ``core functionality of combox''; the
-main reason behind this decision was to duly be an indolent programmer
-and not indulge in trying to solve problems that others have already
-solved.
+the realm of the ``core functionality of combox''; the main reason
+behind this decision was to not indulge in trying to solve problems
+that others have already solved.
 
 The \verb+watchdog+\cite{pylib:watchdog} library was chosen for file
-monitoring; this library is compatible with Unix systems and
-Windows. The \verb+pycrypto+ library\cite{pylib:pycrypto} was used for
-encrypting data; combox uses AES encryption scheme to encrypt file
-shards. The \verb+pickleDB+\cite{pylib:pickledb} library was used to
-store information about files in the combox directory; this library is
-not very clean, but, it was what I exactly looking for, if there was
-no \verb+pickleDB+, I would've most probably written something similar
-to it and made it as part of combox.
+monitoring; this library is compatible with Unix, Unix-like systems
+and Microsoft Windows. The \verb+pycrypto+
+library\cite{pylib:pycrypto} was used for encrypting data; combox uses
+AES encryption scheme to encrypt file shards. The
+\verb+pickleDB+\cite{pylib:pickledb} library was used to store
+information about files in the combox directory.
 
 Looking back, the decision to use external libraries reduced the
 complexity of combox, reduced the time to complete the initial working
@@ -382,29 +356,29 @@ just testing and fixing issues in combox.
 combox was developed on a GNU/Linux machine, a conscious effort was
 made to write in an operating system independent way. The top criteria
 for choosing a library to use in combox was that it had to be
-compatible on \emph{all} of the three major computing platforms in
-2014-2016\footnote{GNU/Linux, OS X and, Windows}.
+compatible on \emph{all} of the three major computing
+platforms\footnote{GNU/Linux, OS X and, Microsoft Windows}.
 
-As we were nearing the \verb+0.1.0+ release, combox was tested on OS X
-(See chapter \ref{ch:4}) and OS X specific issues that were found
-eventually were eventually fixed. The initial \verb+0.1.0+ release was
+Prior to the \verb+0.1.0+ release, combox was tested on OS X (See
+chapter \ref{ch:4}) and OS X specific issues that were found were
+eventually fixed. The initial \verb+0.1.0+ release of combox was
 compatible with GNU/Linux and OS X.
 
-After the initial release of combox, we wanted to see if combox would
-be compatible with Windows. We found that:
+After the initial release of combox, it was seen if combox would be
+compatible with Microsoft Windows out of the box. it was found that:
 
 \begin{itemize}
-\item Setting up the parapharnalia to run combox was
+\item Setting up the paraphernalia to run combox was
   non-trivial\cite{doc:combox-setup-windoze}.
 \item The unit tests for the \verb+combox.file+ module royally failed.
 \end{itemize}
 
-At the time of writing the report, combox is in version \verb+0.2.2+
-and it still not compatible with Windows. Comprehensive documentation
-of setting up the development environment for combox on Windows was
-written\cite{doc:combox-setup-windoze} to make it less cumbersome for
-anyone who would want to work on making combox compatible with
-Windows.
+At the time of writing the report, combox is at version \verb+0.2.3+
+and it is not compatible with Microsoft Windows. Comprehensive
+documentation for setting up the development environment for combox on
+Microsoft Windows was written\cite{doc:combox-setup-windoze} to make
+it less cumbersome for anyone who would want to work on making combox
+compatible with Microsoft Windows.
 
 \section{combox as a python package}\label{3-pypi}
 
@@ -427,12 +401,10 @@ Finally install combox with:
   python setup.py install
 \end{verbatim}
 
-Yes, installing combox on a machine was indeed non-trivial.
-
 Python has a package registry called CheeseShop\footnote{code name for
   Python Package Index, see https://wiki.python.org/moin/CheeseShop};
 all packages registered at the CheeseShop can be installed using
-\verb+pip+ -- Python's platform independent package managment
+\verb+pip+ -- Python's platform independent package management
 system\cite{py:pip} -- with:
 
 \begin{verbatim}
@@ -442,8 +414,8 @@ system\cite{py:pip} -- with:
 To make it easier for (python) users to install combox on their
 machine, an effort was made to make it a python
 package\cite{py:package-guide}. From version \verb+0.2.0+, combox has
-been registered python package at the CheeseShop. (Python) users can
-now easily get a copy of combox on their machine with:
+been registered as a python package at the CheeseShop. (Python) Users
+can now easily get a copy of combox on their machine with:
 
 \begin{verbatim}
   pip install combox
@@ -462,43 +434,3 @@ sub   4096R/09CECEDB 2014-09-08 [expires: 2017-09-07]
 All versions of combox's source are also available as a compressed
 \verb+TAR+ ball and as a \verb+ZIP+ archive; they can be downloaded
 from \url{https://ricketyspace.net/combox/releases.html}.
-
-\section{With the benefit of hindsight}\label{3-hindsight}
-
-combox's node monitor (\verb+combox.events.NodeDirMonitor+) was
-written with the assumption that the node monitor will be the only
-entity that will be making changes to the node directory that it is
-monitoring. When started testing combox with node clients (Dropbox
-client and Google Drive client), we observed that the node clients
-made changes to the node directory when a file was
-created/modified/renamed/deleted; for instance, when a shard, in the
-Dropbox node directory, was modified on a remote computer, the Dropbox
-client would first pull the newer version of the shard under the
-\verb+.dropbox.cache+ directory as a temprorary file, move the older
-version of the shard under \verb+.dropbox.cache+ as a backup, and
-finally move the latest version of the shard, stored as a temprorary
-file under the \verb+.dropbox.cache+ directory, to the respective
-location in the Dropbox node directory; when a shard, in the Google
-Drive node directory, was remotely modified on a remote computer, the
-Google Drive client would delete the older version of the shard from
-the Google Drive node directory and then create the newer version of
-the shard in the respective location under the Google Drive node
-directory. Since combox did not know about the node client's
-behaviour, it confused combox and broke it royally; we had to make
-major changes to the \verb+combox.eventns.NodeDirMonitor+ class to
-make combox aware of the node client's behavior, this eventually
-brutally obliterated the simplicity of the
-\verb+combox.eventns.NodeDirMonitor+ class which I was proud of.
-
-I'm not sure how I would have written the \verb+combox.events+ module
-if I had known about the Dropbox and Google Drive client's behaviour
-before writing the \verb+combox.events.NodeDirMonitor+ or the
-\verb+combox.events.ComboxDirMonitor+ classes. Looking back, if there one
-thing I would want to re-think/redo, it is the \verb+combox.events+
-module.
-
-The most important lesson I'm taking away from the experience of
-writing combox is the insight of how easy it is to ruthless crush the
-simplicity of a program due to unforeseen use cases.
-
-\verb+<3+
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