On 5/30/06, Joutsiniemi Anssi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Dear Community,
A couple of weeks ago Jacques raised a small discussion on future of
MapBasic. With a certain bittersweet nostalgia I asked myself how the story
is going to continue...
Since the MB doesn't seem to be that chic any longer, I thought maybe I could
release my notes on MBX-file format as well. I know there is plenty of
delicate issues concerning the copyrights of compiled code and also some
private money bound to it too. That is little strainge though, since most of
us know that it is rather easy to built a decompiler and at least three of
them exists too (search List Archive if you like).
Also some more valuable use can be thought for the documentation. For
example, currently the only compiler is the one that is provided by the Corp.
and it significantly affects for third party development. Does anybody there
across the ocean know where they are heading to? I naturally don't want to
make enemy with them. I'm looking neither profit nor new jobs (since I got
plenty) for this and consider this just as an act for creating new potential
for more advanced usage.
I guess the tweaking other peoples code isn't that big of a thread, since the
profound slowness of a MB code forces people truly developing software to use
DLL's and stuff anyway. People capable of programming it from documentation
most likelly wouldn't find any usefull from the tiny snippets of code
available anyway. I have never made a dime by selling program code, but I
know some of you have, so basicly I'm interested to hear points of view that
havent crossed my mind. If my initial idea of release is concidered terribly
hostile or semi-criminal among you I'm happy to draw back this too.
Please, keep the discussion open in List, if possible.
Hard rock hallelujah
Anssi
Anssi,
I would encourage you to share your your documentation of the MBX
format. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Information are held up as
corner stones of democracy and civil liberties. Restricting knowledge
to the "inner circle" runs counter to progress and evolution, and
smacks of elitism.
Ultimately sharing knowledge will encourage the progression of MapInfo
programming options. If the MBX format and the MB coders can not
tolerate a bit of freedom then so be it. Many of the comments in this
thread have already eluded to the stagnation of MB.
A comment in this thread mentioned "hackers", I think it was meant to
refer to "crackers". Hackers are creative folks who solve problems (as
in the pgsal-hackers listserv). Crackers are people who break laws. I
think you have a hack, and I think the potential for positive benefits
out weigh any negatives.
Anecdotally - I purchased an MBX from one of the coders who has
expressed opinions in this thread. The MBX stopped working with the
next version of MapInfo. No refund, no patch. I'd bought an MBX that
didn't work, but if I had the source code, maybe I could have patched
it...
Rich
--
Richard Greenwood
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.greenwoodmap.com
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