[REBOL] Open source project Re:(9)
From: dgardiner:cwcom at: 11-Oct-2000 11:32
On 11-Oct-00 [carl--rebol--com] wrote:
> Let me say something here...
>
> We are not secretive. We are short on time. Extremely so. With the number
> of products we deal with, multiplied by the number of systems they run on, we
> are stretched to the max. You're not dealing with Microsoft or Sun here. We
> are a small company. The fact that we've accomplished so much to date is
> because we strongly believe in what we are doing.
>
> Since I began REBOL, I have written thousands of pages of docs, tens of
> thousands of lines of code, over 100,000 emails, dozens of useful utilities
> and scripts, hundreds of web pages, hundreds of examples, dozens of press
> interviews, and a few articles. Other members of the REBOL Team have
> contributed in similar ways, and some of you in the REBOL community have also
> contributed. All of you have benefited from these efforts.
>
> As a venture backed company that pays its engineers so they can work on their
> software designs full time rather than just on weekends & late nights as a
> hobbyist, we need to make money. Yes, we believe in our product and we
> believe in the REBOL community. Could we do more for our community? I'm
> absolutely sure that we could. However, right now, we've got to focus on
> REBOL the Company. We have to get our REBOL commercial products finished and
> into the hands of paying customers. That is the reality of what
> we are doing.
>
> Will these commercial products be of benefit to you, you can bet on it. No,
> we won't be giving away REBOL/Express. If you want Express, you'll have to
> buy it, and let me warn you, it's not cheap. REBOL/Express serves a critical
> need in the world of Internet based business, and we are going to charge for
> that. However, the building of REBOL/Express will require additional
> functions and features be developed for our core software. Features like
> multitasking, modules, view, graphics, audio, streaming media
> , dynamic components, and developer tools are all essential, and they will be
> pushed seriously by commercial REBOL applications. As REBOL grows as a
> company, so too will the features of all its products.
>
> With regard to the specifics of buglists, knowledge-bases, and specs: I'm for
> it. But help me out because I don't have the time or peoplepower to do
> everything for everybody. Like I said: I've been focusing on YOU for four
> years now. I've had no life, just you. Now, you've got to help me focus on
> REBOL the company. That is truly the most rewarding path to the future, for
> all of us.
>
> A REBOL as always,
>
> -Carl Sassenrath
> Founder & CTO
> REBOL Technologies
>
I suspect that every subscriber to this list appreciates RT's need to satisfy
their investors desire to see a return on their investment, and the probable
pressures they exert to see this happen sooner rather than later.
It is clear from the posts to this list that people would like to use REBOL in
their regular jobs, not as hackers/hobbyists but as people who see a good
product which they can demonstrate works but unfortunately cannot show their
employers/clients where it is going.
I am sure that we all appreciate the efforts you have put in, but if supporting
so many products on so many platforms poses a threat to the long term viability
of REBOL perhaps releases of the free of charge products should be frozen until
REBOL/Express is shipped as a commercial product.
You say 'help me out', how! Do you just want us to sit back and keep quiet, act
as testers, or become really involved in pushing REBOL forward? I would be
happy to help in any way I can as long as it is actively rather than passively.
Rebmail seemed to be a good way of creating an awareness of REBOL, your
specification was excellent it makes one wonder what could be in REBOL/Express
which would not be in Rebmail, but does not seem to be moving forward very
quickly, perhaps we are all talk and no do.
Regards
----------------------------------
E-Mail: Derek Gardiner <[dgardiner--cwcom--net]>
Date: 11-Oct-00
Time: 10:13:09
