Re: [NTLK] WWNC & Einstein

From: smoerk (smoerk_at_gmail.com)
Date: Fri Sep 10 2004 - 13:25:12 PDT


On Wed, 8 Sep 2004 15:55:07 +0200, Paul Guyot <pguyot_at_kallisys.net> wrote:
> Aux environs du 7/09/04 à 17:21 +0200, sous le titre "Re: [NTLK] WWNC
> & Einstein", smoerk prit sa plus belle plume pour écrire les mots
> suivants:
> >I apologize for what i wrote in my last mail. I think I know too less
> >about the topic and of course Paul and Nicolas can choose the license
> >of their project. I was just a little bit dissapointed, that it's not
> >open source (but somhow I expected it).
>
> Oliver, what did you expect? Why are you disappointed?
>
> I don't mean to sound rude, but after the DCL & Escale open source
> experiment, I just do not want to hear about open sourcing code of
> the Einstein project and/or the emulator again. Thanks.

As I'm new to the list I don't know anything about DCL & Escale.

I don't want to start a lengthy discussion, but I want to explain, why
I think an open source Newton emulator would be good thing.

I believe you and Nicolas will be successful in getting NewtonOS to a
new platform and I doubt that you will reach that goal faster with
open sourcing your code.Question is: what happens then? Will people
use the emulator? Will people write new software for the Newton? Will
the Newton get more users from outside the Newton community.

The problem with closed source software is, that you don't know how
long it will be supported. What if author gets hit by a bus? (which
mostly translates to "lost interest in development" or "has no time
anymore").

Open source is not the soultion for everthing. It's an illusion that
you will get new developers easily just with releasing the source
code. Most projects never gain that momentum that people contribute to
the project.

I have to say, that a working closed source emulator would be a great
contribution to the Newton community, too.

> BTW, I did put my slides about Einstein (I'm waiting for other
> speakers' slides and/or agreement to put theirs) on the conference
> website.
> http://wwnc.newtontalk.net/program/paulguyot/slides-paulguyot.pdf

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