I am looking for a team of people willing to explore a
different approach to what we are currently doing.
Here would be my initial plan of attack for the
Take the Python (www.python.org) interpreter and revamp
the syntax to be as xTalk like as possible.
This would be the heart of the LGPL Embeddable
interpreter and become the base code.
Next port wxPython (http://alldunn.com/wxPython/) to use
the new syntax and throw some Mac programmers on the
wxWindows project.
Begin programming the object hierarchical message passing
infrastructure and "stack" library in the new OpenTalk
language. This gives us our familiar stack based card
metaphor of objects and commands and gives the xTalk
languages a new reputation for procedural programming.
Finally add the ability to create executables that know how
to load and run their own stacks and call it version 1.0.
Start going public everywhere I can touting how we used
already existing packages and can run on Windows, Mac,
and Linux, generate interest in porting many of the other
Python modules like Com and ActiveX, the Distributed
Networking stuff, all the multimedia libraries, the LDAP
stuff.
This approach yields a very high ROI. Because it uses
the python interpreter as the underlying engine we can
leverage anything that it can do. We would have to begin
addressing issues about how to load and store class
code in the GUI product, possibly by adding a "library"
object as well as a "stack" object, but it could be done.
I don't think this approach any easier or harder than
rolling our own like we are doing now, it's just different.
It solves some critical problems easily, but creates others.
However it is the method that I think is the superior one.
Any other opinions, thoughts, ideas, or warnings?
-- Michael --
