[REBOL] Re: zip file support wanted - help needed
From: petr:krenzelok:trz:cz at: 16-Mar-2001 7:10
Joel Neely wrote:
> Hello, Petr, (and world!)...
>
> Petr Krenzelok wrote:
> >
> > I know what multiplatform issue means. I am sorry but sometimes all
> > that be-multiplatform-or-die voices sounds a little bit
> > "masochistic" to me :-)
> >
>
> Perhaps, but the demands of a typical multiplatform each-box-does-
> -things-differently seem more than a little bit sadistic to me ;-)
yes, it does, but adding /shell support or even /library one works
completly the same way thru all the platforms ;-)
> > Isn't purpose of language to SOLVE various situations in first
> > place? How often do MOST ppl in reality need their solution to work
> > on more than one platform? On more than two platforms? etc.?
> >
>
> I can only speak for myself, but I LIVE in a multiplatform world ...
>
> Solaris
> HP-UX
> Linux
> w95
> w2000
> MacOS
>
> ... and consider cross-platform compatibility to be a survival issue
> rather than a luxury, for at least the following reasons:
>
OK, I can understand it - I have nothing against cross-platform
compatibility of language itself, but it's not in opposite what did I say
in previous email ...
I am not sure you understand my point of view? I haven't said anything
about breaking cross-platform compatibility. But - being able to execute
external app by:
call "some.exe"
sounds pretty the same to me as
do %some.r
- as what if I don't have %some.r available? What if %some.r refers to any
of your images you forgot to send me? I regard it being just completly the
same kind of dependence upon "external environment"
Let's stand the facts, please:
- including /shell or /library into /Core DOESN'T prevent you from
performing any of your test, which requires strong compatibility
- current state LIMITS Rebol from certain area of usage. What if some app
provides you output in .zip format? :-) You are dead using /Core, while
what's more - you could find many usefull utils (e.g. aforementioned .zip)
for whole bunch of platforms, including those you are using personally :-)
- current state CAUSED some ppl left us. (e.g. /Apache situation and some
opinions stating text databases are suitable for most cases ... I am not
arguing here, but 3 of my friends refused to even bother to look into
/Apache module beta once I told them there's no link to SQLs). I would
like to suggest to NOT depreciate such factor. Bad reference is very
dangerous. One person can affect many ppl's opinion.
- my personal POV is - it's not cross-platform compatibility, which holds
RT back from inclusion of /shell or /library into /Core, but
licencing/money related issue.
- My opinion is - language is stable enough to allow inclusion of /shell
or even /library into core language ....
What other things current state of things shows?:
- there were many requests cor features like sound, ability to do this or
that ... that shows something ....
- what about cross-platform solutions like: http://www.libsdl.org/ -
multimedia libraries ... you can find there Python, Perl ... for free. But
you will NOT find Rebol there. There is many ppl who would like to use
Rebol just for joy - bobbyists. The will not/can't buy/afford to buy 249
or even 4xx USD /Command just to call external library or launch externall
app ...
I call it .... reality check ... ;-)
Cheers,
-pekr-
