I have _ no _ inside information on apple. but i have made the following deduction from their literature etc. Why Apple will neither dump nor develop HC: 1) Apple's current marketing strategy currently (correctly) is focusing on their two 'core' markets: students/teachers (academic) and graphic arts professionals. This strategy is correct because they are potential growth areas. 2) Apple's current software strategy is also focused on core areas: a) the macOS b) QuickTime c) WebObjects. Other software stuff is secondary. All from the apple web site. The following is inferential: 1) HyperCard represents a 'sunk cost' - little or no further development is required for the software to be 'adequate.' a) especially if you include all the 3d party externals - which cost apple nothing (but which also do not directly profit apple) b) if apple chose to include the Rinaldi externals (Rinaldi was - is? - an apple employee) then HC would be quite nicely functional. (color windows, multiple dialogues, etc. etc. -ps. rinaldi programs largely in pascal) - evidence: recent developments are focusing on QuickTime and AppleScript - and not on more fundamental issues like 32k limits, native color, or a dialogue box with more than three functions. 2) HyperCard generates some revenue - but probably not enough to justify developing an HC-3. So since it generates some revenu, and costs nothing, HC is, well, 'on the shelf' - they won't pull the plug, but why develop a product which was quite badly marketed, and has been displaced or put into obsolescence by other programs (director). Which is in fact exactly our opportunity. OpenKard should do all the things that HC _should: Fast native color is up on my wish list. Multiple scripting languages is a close second. Double scroll fields. A built in script compiler ( i mean, if i'm gonna fantasize, i'm really gonna fantasize ). While i'm in the land of dairy queen, i want a HC native webbrowser. Oh, HC 1.2 could replace the finder... um, why not? (Frank & Stein and it should also run on 68k amigas... _because Its Possible) Ok, i probably went too far, but really I WANT MY (NATIVE)COLOR H.C. i suppose a scripting language version of basic, xBasic, would be possible... i may have talked myself into a corner... no promises though. ...I want my C.H.C. ! ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1
