[REBOL] Re: Opening a new blog about Rebol?
From: edoconnor::gmail at: 18-Nov-2007 18:51
>> REBOL is free, it is not open sourced. That ppl need to check their
sanity then. Are Flash IDE tools free? Is Flash open-sourced? Is .NET
open sourced? Product popularity is not equal to its open source
nature.
Popular languages are in their own category. It does not matter that
these tools are not open source. Their lack of open source is more
than compensated by many other benefits of popularity, e.g., ubiquity,
strong community, books/documentation, RAD/IDE's and 3rd-party tools,
etc.
Unknown/unpopular languages are held to a different standard. The
unknowns need to consider all ways of promoting adoption-- which may
or may not include open sourcing the language. It's either grow to
critical mass or languish in obscurity.
>> We should name problems with the right names. I think the
problem is - ppl don't feel safe about REBOL.
Yes, I think you've nailed it here. The "unsafe" perception is due to
any number of reasons, rational or irrational. And of course lack of
popularity is self-reinforcing.
Ed
