Will PowerBasic goes to Open Source?

[JRS]

Please read this PowerBASIC thread and let me know one of the following.

• These people have been isolated on an island in the south pacific (like the Vietnam vets that caught the black clap) and they have no idea about the open source BASIC JIT/PE compiler that already exists. (OxygenBasic)
• Zale successfully left a clueless band of PB zombies wondering about to make others miserable now that he is gone.
• PowerBASIC users are an icon and poster child for hope and being the ultimate optimists.

[Aurel]

What to read...everybody knows 'the story'

by Tom Hanlin

I like open source. I am not clear on how to run a business on that. It is probably not going to happen any time soon

[JRS]

I get it that Tom is still trying to break into Zales old PC to retrieve the source and positive news may be forthcoming. The big surprise will be what a hack and Band-Aid job the compiler is and should have been scrapped years ago. With PBDOS still being a hot item on the product line sheet, PBWin/PBCC could survive until the next millennium.

Is it me?
The 'catastrophic implosions' at PB inc that caused the servers being down, email not received, products not released and possibly some other third world kinda experiences...

Wouldn't be easier to hire and setup a decent server instead of the old computers running imo truly unnecessary old fashion cgi scripts (16 bit i heard), server down and so on (over the years).
This groups is very unprofessional by using these techniques.
During the email mess they could have produced a backup mail address, they simply don't do those kind of things.
At least you would have provided users with there setups isn't?
I would crawl to a user's house to bring the goods instead of letting the mess grow on and on.

Sigh.. it feels good now we are not watched by mister paranoia, maybe this will improve something.
Gosh, why do i bother.. it was only my main frustration.., until a few years ago.
Poor decisions and such..

Edwind was one of the brave souls that refused the Kool-Aid.

[JRS]

A rocket trip to oblivion, convert something to Open Source. No-one gets paid, development is crippled and dies, product dies. There are some good examples of Open Source but there are just as many that seriously flopped.

Shift PowerBASIC to some crappy clone and it will drop dead big time. Where PB programmers could rely on Bob's technical expertise, the same cannot be said about a loose grouping of developers, often with conflicting agendas to produce anything that even resembles a viable alternative to PowerBASIC.

Over time Open Source software has tended to be a magnet for people too lazy to write their own code who expect that anyone else's code is their's for the taking.

This proves there is no hope for the PB group. I have never read a more misinformed piece of garbage from someone totally out of touch with reality. At least Jose Roca, Patrice, Brice and others are being realistic and have moved on or retired. For the rest, I don't think they are retrainable.

Hutch should look in the mirror and tell us how his commercial BASIC compiler with a dead author compares to a open source BASIC compiler you can actual view and modify the source to.

[Mike Lobanovsky]

I'm pointing out once again: some two eager guys with beards like Charles' and mine with an able promoter/public relations in between and all around them could re-create a 100% clean-room replica of PB with 64-bit and multi-platform capability out of Oxygen in less than 2 years from now. And I don't think that one would be just a "crappy clone"; there isn't anything on earth that one man can do and three others can't. I bet "rock solid" would be a more likely outcome, hehe.




I don't however think Charles or me would be able to fully enjoy the fruit: 58 years + 58 years + XX whatever years is too dangerously close to two centuries.

[JRS]

OpenPOWER = O2 + CBASIC + SB +FBSL

The intention of the All BASIC Developer forum was to make that dream a reality. We're getting there. At least we are talking about it and not calling each other names. 

I think it would be easier to write a PowerBASIC source code converter to O2 than try to create another BASIC compiler from scratch.

As Charles has said many times that O2 with some dedicated work (by someone like Mike) could make O2 PB compatible.




BTW: XX = 61

[Charles Pegge]

OxygenBasic has most of the PowerBasic genes, excluding DDT, COM objects, and its extensive function set, which are additional layers over the core constructs.

If there was serious interest, it could be done.

But what is PB's destiny..

[Aurel]

But what is PB's destiny..

yes Charles...
Everything else is just a speculations

[JRS]

and its extensive function set, which are additional layers over the core constructs.

Isn't that what user functions are for? How many of those PB specific functions are used on a day to day basis? We find out in the end that PB has been carrying that junk in the truck all along in that hand crafted (aka patched & bandaged) compiler until dead code/author removal was incorporated.

If there was serious interest, it could be done.

I'm sure there are a few Rapid-Q users that would like to see O2 replace their Dino as well.




I have been thinking about what you said about upgrading your PC and attached a possible candidate for you. 

.

[Kuron]

Not only are people over there still drinking the Kool-Aid, but based on this thread, the Kool-Aid drinkers (including one who has been ripped off by PB Inc. for hundreds of thousands of dollars) are willing to pony up the money for the Kool-Aid when PB Inc. quits supplying it.  A very bizarre combination of Sadomasochism and Stockholm Syndrome.

[JRS]

On the same scale of trying to save a bridge jumper. Those that are left aren't worth saving anyways.

When all is revealed, the reasons for the recent lapses will be understood by all.

They finally got Bob's hard disk back with the unencrypted files that still remained. It seems that Bob must of had a script to delete files if not logged in with a specific time frame. I think Bob was able to take it with him.

Well it takes a lot of time to improve on an already great product.

   There you have it in a nutshell.