On 9 Apr 2007, at 23:20, Roy wood wrote: >> >> I know you're very keen on Windows, Roy, but you're missing the >> point ... and this a point which applied (to some extent) to SMSQ. An >> operating system is just there to run your applications and manage >> your >> files. It's the job of the creator of a new version to make sure >> that it >> can cope with existing applications and files. > Wrong on both counts. I am not a 'fan' of Windows but I see no > point in > blaming it for faults which are not of its making. That is just sloppy > thinking and general 'my dad is bigger than your dad' ness There > faults > are enough which are a M$ problem. Also it is not the function of a > new > O/S to be backwardly compatible.
I would be horrified if I thought that any of my programs would stop working on new versions of SMSQE. To that extent I would hope for example that any of the previously documented Traps would continue to operate as stated. In fact that is what has happened so far with SMSQE with very few exceptions. I think it is impressive that: a) the Pointer Environment was added in such a way that existing (properly written) programs remained operating and even shared much of the PE advances. b) the addition of GD2 colours still allowed old programs to operate. My programs which use GD2 were altered to cope with both situations (ie GD2 present and GD2 absent). Indeed it is quite obvious that advances in SMSQE require changes in existing programs if they are to take advantage of these. > It is, however, the function of a new > O/S to fix holes in code and improve on the previous one. Sometimes > this > makes older software malfunction because it is badly written. This is > what happened to some extent with SMSQ/E but not, in my opinion, > enough. > We have spent too much time an effort slugging a good system to > make it > work with badly written software. A new O/S should not only move > forward > but move the users forward with it. Any software which relied on undocumented quirks of particular OS's should really not be supported. For example, I think Turbo was written under the assumption that there would be no advances in the current OS's (eg JS ROM). However, as far as I am aware, Turbo is now fully compliant with the documented software. George _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
