===============================================================
suggestion for a SLang interface for the RFC2229 Dict protocoll
===============================================================

General
-------

* Map the DICT commands to slang functions.

* provide the feature "dict-backend"::

    provide("dict-backend");
    
  This way a user (or a frontend) can select a backend with::
  
    require("dict-backend", "dict-<flavour>.sl");  

Commands
--------
 
DEFINE database word:
   --> dict_define(word, database, host);

MATCH database strategy word:
   --> dict_match(word, strategy, database, host)

SHOW:
   --> dict_show(what, host) 


Arguments
---------

All arguments are strings

  :word:      search term, can be also a string of more than one word
  
  :database:  comma separated list of databases
  
              use dict_show("db", host) to get a list of valid database names
  
  :host:      URL of the host, may contain the port appended after colon
              e.g. "localhost", "dict.org", "dict.example.org:3343"
              
  :strategy:  use dict_show("strat", host) to get valid values
  
  :what:      one of "db", "strat", "server", "info:<db>"


Return value
------------

The slang functions should insert the result of the command into the
current buffer.

   This is the easiest way for the command line interface, otherwise I
   would need to insert the command, read it to a string and pass upwards
   (only to be eventually re-inserted by the calling fun))
   
   An alternative is: return response as string

Preferabely format the response similar to the `dict` command line program.


Commands not needed in the basic version
----------------------------------------

CLIENT text
STATUS
HELP          % is this needed? Possibly use dict_show("help")
QUIT
OPTION
AUTH username authentication-string  
SASLAUTH