Carl, I for one see problems with core code becoming open-source.

Bloat and extras, have a terrible effect especially on a language like RE=
BOL, I would not like it to folloow Python.

On the other hand LUA has managed to keep its core "pure" and small and e=
ffectively the source available to anyone - its problem seems to be that =
it has become a language imbedded in a lot of software but not cohereing =
into an environment.

I am obviously very new and ignornant, but one way I see REBOL standing o=
ut is as an application environment, indeed a see it as having a possible=
 future as THE application environment in a lot of areas.

Diverse hosting is a problem, small OSes need to easily have REBOL ported=
 to them without central responsiblity for doing it.

Another way of seeing things develop, business and technology wise is to =
find a good niche for REBOL's Wildman project - that is a fixed architect=
ure machine/console with a large enough market to supply the capital to p=
ort hosted REBOL consistantly over all OSes, more or less, without except=
ion.

Obviously I am thinking of the PS3 and PSP market and ancillaries to this=
 as a begining point, but a modest number of PDAs and powerful multipurpo=
se Phones and other fixed-architecture HW would form a strong starting ba=
se.

The problem then is to have at least common productivity software genres,=
 and familar functions and extensions, to make REBOL Wildman worth buying=
.

The thrid option, is to make REBOL core source available, on an as is bas=
is - a licensing agreement (how the hell it would be enforced I don't kno=
w) where the source can only be used for porting and only "adpated" for t=
hat purpose.

But once released there is no getting things back, multiple slightly inco=
mpatible REBOLs, or REBOL itself bloating because of innovations elsewher=
e with the source code would in my opinion be no good.

I prefer the Wildman approach, one because it is sorely needed. A miniscu=
le OS and a script based application environment resting on generalised c=
ompiled "plugins" is my idea of the future for computing - I believe we h=
ave reached the end of a blind alley with OS development in its current f=
orm - the Wildman approach seems to cut through bloat elegantly.=20

Bloat and application quarantine (each app being a world unto itself) see=
ms to me the major issues before the industry. REBOL's business future, a=
nd langauge future seems bound into one.


Greg Schofield
Perth Australia

--- Message Received ---
From: Carl Read <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:53:06 +1200
Subject: [REBOL] Re: Rebol SDK vs Command


On Friday, 14-September-2007 at 12:01:28 Gregg Irwin wrote,

>I'm not sure what products are what anymore,

Which succinctly sums up RT's problems as a 'business'.  It doesn't open-=
source, so REBOL can't become a popular language, and it doesn't do the b=
usiness basics to make it succeed as closed-source software.

--  Carl Read.

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