| From: | Claus Luethje |
| Date: | 13 Sep 2000 at 21:12:52 |
| Subject: | Re: AMIOPEN: Re: |
Hi Martin,
Martin Baute wrote:
>
> Hello Claus
>
> On 12-Sep-00, you wrote:
>
> >> To avoid companies doing so (perhaps under pressure from Redmond),
> >> there should be some way for the OS to _enforce_ the presence of
> >> .00 (VP) binaries in any installation archive. However I don�t have any
> >> way of enforcing this at hand.
>
> > Enforcing the presence of a .00 binary could be done indirectly be Amiga
> > Inc: they could refuse to approve software which doesn't include the .00
> > version. This won't stop other companies from providing not portable
> > version of their software. (But it won't make much sense economically for
> > them.)
>
> Yes? How so? The companies with a _motive_ to do so couldn�t care
> less for if their software is "approved by Amiga" or not...
Well, they can't be forced. But others who provide a VP version will have a
bigger market. So they can provide a comparable solution for less cash.
If the companies, which don't care, provide say a Mac and a Windows-version of
their application, they will need more time and money for improvements as
everything
has to be implemented and tested twice. And data exchange isn't guaranteed
between
their versions of the same programm.
Having a VP version is cheaper and faster to make, easier for users (they can
buy
any hardware (almost), without worrying that their software stops working).
So I guess, companies, ignoring the possibilities of 'write-once-run-anywhere',
might
have some hard times.
> > Customers would go for software with the boing badge to be sure to
> > buy future proof software.
>
> Customers went for soft- and hardware "designed for Windows 95"
> just the same. Don�t overestimate Joe Average�s sense for quality.
Quality won't be the main reason. I'd say, being able to buy hardware and VP
software suiting my needs best is the biggest advantage. There won't be
something
like 'legacy VP applications' any time soon :-)
> > I don't see too much of a problem here ... am I missing something?
>
> The fact that, outside of "geek country", Microsoft is still considered
> to be providing the best in software?
Sad, but true :(
> Seriously, I fear the whole "ubiquity" concept might become undermined
> by native-only distributions, either by big companies (like M$) or
> fanatic Amigians who refuse to include a .00 binary in addition to their
> PPC one. (The latter would probably have less impact in the long run,
> but would be a nuisance nevertheless.)
I doubt, that M$ would provide VP software. M$ would rather try to buy AmigaInc,
than develop for Ami. (don't want to start a rumour here).
Economically, it would make more sense to go VP. But as there are political and
contractual reasons it won't be easy to convince them.
I think, that's where the Amiga community could come in: we're spread in all
kinds
of businesses all over the world and some are in quite high or important (or
both ;-)
positions.
There are a lot of aspects to this issue. It's very interesting to discuss it,
but
there is too much speculation about it atm. When Ami is almost completed and
those
mystery partners are officially known, we'll see how big Ami's impact will be.
Regards,
Claus
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