[REBOL] Re: Rebol on IPAQ ?
From: jasonic:nomadics at: 16-Feb-2005 11:50
> Rebol/View is not yet available for Windows/CE.
> Far from having a small memory footprint, Rebol consumes large chunks of
> memory. (That's why there isn't a Palm OS version).
Thanks.. I see. I'd always thought and read about Rebol as being tiny and
lightweight. Now I am really wondering.
How much memory are we talking about?
How variable is Rebol's use of memory?
How does it compare to other PocketPC development tools?
I still find it hard to believe that Rebol cannot compete well with other
development tools.
More importantly that cool applications developed with Rebol cannot compete
with others.
Customers [aka commercial end-users] rarely care what language/SDK was used.
They just want performance design features and price!
So there is now a booming PocketPC market already for so many cool little
personal database and messaging applications.
Reminds me of HyperCard and then the ActiveX / COM market about 9 years
ago.
--- Gadget World ---
Apple's new OSX10.4 'Tiger'
http://developer.apple.com/macosx/tiger/index.html
is now touting something like that also with 'Dashboard'
http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/dashboard.html
Dashboard Gadgets [Widgets] are created using a mix of HTML, JavaScript, and
CSS
Dashboard seems at first glance to be a rip-off of Konfabulator
http://www.konfabulator.com/
Some differences are discussed here
http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/dashboard_vs_konfabulator
Both are the excellent examples of what Rebol/View applets should be, given
a fertile environment [Quartz] and design attitude.
--- REBOL/PocketPC ??? ---
jc >> You have a real advantage / market opportunity here :-)
chris > I think so too. PocketPCs could be the niche REBOL has been
searching
for a long time.
Yes and as I read though the lists and reviews of the PocketPC commercial
and freeware apps, they almost all sound like could/should/would be
REBOL/View apps.
The exceptions are the ones which play video or record sound. Both areas
where REBOL has nothing to offer -- unless it uses Command to call some
library.
In fact that's what most PocketPC apps are doing - they seem to be nice
little dedicated wrappers for .NET dlls
for example 'HanDBase' is a cool database tool
http://www.ddhsoftware.com/
check out their tutorials at
http://www.ddhsoftware.com/TrainingVideos/HanDBase/
[flash]
Sites which give a quick flavor of what PocketPC market might be for Rebol
apps are
PocketPC magazine
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_top/
PocketNow ["it's all about portability"]
http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php
PocketPCSoft NET [software and freeware]
http://www.pocketpcsoft.net/
PocketGear
http://www.pocketgear.com/index.asp
DevvBuzz.com [Handheld development]
http://www.devbuzz.com/content/
--- TabletPC ---
Another platform where REBOL could do well is TabletPC. There is no REBOL
porting time and no memory restrictions like Pocket PC devices.
Some of the current TabletPC are fabulous, though still a little expensive.
Nicest one I've seen so far is Electrovaya Scribbler 2010 Tablet PC
http://www.geek.com/hwswrev/hardware/electrotab/
http://www.mobiletechreview.com/notebooks/electrovaya.htm
Easy to see how these could be worth their weight in gold in the Medicine
and elsewhere.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/default.mspx
http://thetabletpc.net/
http://www.pencomputing.com/TabletPC/
--- Flash ---
....and yes Flash can now support all of the above now.
MDM have just released 'Zinc' for PocketPC, as well finally their cross
platform compiler for [desktop] Zinc applications [MacOSX, Windows]
http://www.multidmedia.com/software/zinc/
The Zinc feature-set includes 600 script functions, freeing Flash from its
very limited browser sandbox, and putting it much closer Rebol
http://www.multidmedia.com/software/zinc/#03
http://www.multidmedia.com/software/zinc/pocketpc/
Meanwhile Macromedia have just signed a deal with Nokia for 'FlashLite'.
They are showing off this week at 3GSM
http://macromedia.com/devnet/devices/?promoid=home_dev_3gsm_021405
At first glance FlashLite sounds great, until one learns that it is really
just Flash 4 [c.1999 or early 2000] !
It works but the old programming syntax sucks so this is a horrible step
back for programmers now used to FlashMX and Actionscript 2.0
Fyi, the 'standard' Flash player now running almost everywhere on the web is
version 7.
What this all says to me is that when it comes to _GUI development
environments_, the memory footprint and graphics performance on phones and
some handhelds is still lagging years nearly 5 behind the available tool
kits.
The Sharp Zaurus runs Linux and is a rare exception, but costs $1000.
http://www.sharpusa.com/products/TypeLanding/0,1056,116,00.html
PocketPC land Microsfots other Mobile versions strongly leverage .NET in
slightly modified form .
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/pocketpc/default.mspx
Can anyone tell me how/if Rebol/View/Command could leverage this easily or
not?
thanks, Jason
