tasks.txt

Session 4 Homework
==================

Required Tasks:
---------------

* Complete the code in ``echo_server.py`` to create a server that sends back
  whatever messages it receives from a client

* Complete the code in ``echo_client.py`` to create a client function that
  can send a message and receive a reply.

* Ensure that the tests in ``tests.py`` pass.

To run the tests:

* Open one terminal while in this folder and execute this command:

    $ python echo_server.py

* Open a second terminal in this same folder and execute this command:

    $ python tests.py




Optional Tasks:
---------------

Simple:

* Write a python function that lists the services provided by a given range of
  ports.

  * accept the lower and upper bounds as arguments
  * provide sensible defaults
  * Ensure that it only accepts valid port numbers (0-65535)

Challenging:

* The echo server as outlined will only process a connection from one client
  at a time. If a second client were to attempt a connection, it would have to
  wait until the first message was fully echoed before it could be dealt with.

  Python provides a module called `select` that allows waiting for I/O events
  in order to control flow. The `select.select` method can be used to allow
  our echo server to handle more than one incoming connection in "parallel".

  Read the documentation about the `select` module
  (http://docs.python.org/3/library/select.html) and attempt to write a second
  version of the echo server that can handle multiple client connections in
  "parallel".  You do not need to invoke threading of any kind to do this.