- Freestanding Blackbox applications?

From: [at]} <J>
Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 16:17:47 -0700 (PDT)

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On May 15, 2006, at 1:49 PM, Rene Krywult wrote:

===================
BB is a wonderful tool, but it is built for something for which it
isn't used: Platform independence / portability. Since there are -
currently - no ports to other systems/computers, every windows
programmer who needs to use DLLs has more troubles, because he not only
needs to know the BB way to do it but also the windows way, and
sometimes there are no ways to reconcile both. (with Apple now running
on Intel CPUs, a port to Apple would be interesting). The moment a
working port to another platform is available, this will be BBs supreme
strength.
===================

This comment by Rene fits my situation exactly. I have reluctantly
switched my development efforts from BlackBox to C++ using Qt from
Trolltech because the software I distribute (software to support one of
my computer science textbooks) must be cross-platform. That is why I
adopted BlackBox in the first place, when it supported the Mac as well
as MSWindows. I do not have the resources to maintain separate code
trees and separate development environments for different platforms.

===================
Anyhow, since BB is now OpenSource, the above issues are projects that
can be done, as fast as we reach a "critical mass" of developers. This
would need kind of a "webring" aside from the Oberon Ring, with
websites discussing projects done with BB, etc. Bottom line: Don't wait
for OMI to do something, do it yourself.
===================

This is an important point. The reason any company opens up their
source code is to foster a volunteer community that will contribute to
it. It is up to the external community to drive the advances. OMI is
not asking for our money. It is presenting an opportunity for a
community to coalesce around the platform provided there is enough
interest.

Stan

J. Stanley Warford
Professor of Computer Science
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA 90263
310-506-4332
Stan.Warford{([at]})nowhere.xy

--- BlackBox
--- send subject HELP or UNSUBSCRIBE to blackbox{([at]})nowhere.xy



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Received on Tue May 16 2006 - 01:17:47 UTC