[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> On 9/21/2000 at 12:40 PM [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > This is why I think we should let things play out a bit longer before
> showing everyone how its done.
>
> Python, PHP, MySQL are all wildly popular, and Open Source. No mammoth
> marketing team has swept in and taken them over.
And making REBOL open source would likely lend to its popularity as well.
But, as far as I know, Python and PHP are not businesses. Although, If I
remember correctly, MySQL is a business, free for non profitable use or
something. I would expect its biggest competitor to be PostgreSQL, which
is ironic to me. It would be interesting to know how the? You also make
me think of an interesting question, could making REBOL open source
actually scare away big business competition?
>
>
> Your arguments might sound reasonable to suits who don't know any
> better, but the software marketplace doesn't actually work that way.
>
> In practice, very few Open Source projects ever splinter. The people
> smart enough to make them splinter are smart enough to keep that from
> happening. Things like Javascript have splintered badly, but that's
> because they were not Open Source, and vendors implemented their own
> closed source in different ways. All that happens is that people like
> Elan, Gabrial, Lemir, and Joel don't waste time ruminating about how
> REBOL is implemented. Rather, they can contribute working code to the
> project. Carl would still control what goes into the kernal. But Carl
> doesn't want that to happen, and so it won't. Pity, because it might
> free up some of his developers to create real-life reference
> applications, and then maybe more people would put REBOL to work.
>
> -Ted.
I agree there are many benefits, but so far I see it being dangerous if
done before "first in mind" has been well achieved. Also, I remind you
investors scare away easily--No matter how nice the rocket, you still need
fuel to launch it.
Speaking about first in mind, REBOL could achieve this easier if they do
more to introduce themselves as an entirely new class of programming
languages (divide and conquer). This has had subtle mentions here and
there, but no phrase sticks in my head. I might mention something to that
effect on top every piece of company literature.
--Ryan
Ryan Cole
Programmer Analyst
www.iesco-dms.com
707-468-5400
We are what we think. All that we are arises
with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make
the world. --Buddha
