Subject: Re: Proposal
From: Dominic Ramsey <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 94 00:05:41 GMT

> >>   Given the likelihood (or is it certain now?) of the AMOS source code
> >> eventually going into the public domain, I think a team of programmers
> >> should be created which would work on improving AMOS, fixing the bugs,
> >> etc.  The team would discuss problems and send code through E-mail, and
> >> release updates occasionally.  This way work on AMOS could be
> >> coordinated and accomplished quickly, and there would be a single
> >> official version, rather than people going and making their own changes
> >
> >If you wanted it to be `official', you'd have to talk to Europress first.
> >If they release it as PD, then ANYONE will be able to do whatever they
> >want with it.
> 
>   By "official", I mean "the version produced by a team of experienced
> programmers which everyone should use to maintain compatibility".
                             ^^^^^^

`Should' being the operative word. There is nothing to stop ANYONE else
setting up a similar group, releasing incompatible versions of AMOS.
This is where some kind of backing from Europress would be very useful,
even if it is just a mention in their doc files, when they release the
source code, with an address for the `Official AMOS Product Development
Team'.

> >>   If you would be interested in joining such a team, let me know.  You
> >> will need experience in assembler, since that's what AMOS is written in.
> >
> >I don't see any reason why assembler experience should be needed. There are
> >a lot of very experienced AMOS programmers who know nothing about assembler.
> 
>   But knowing how to write AMOS code won't help fix AMOS itself!

But knowing how AMOS works *will* help. It is only people that have real
experience of AMOS that can tell you exactly what needs to be done to
improve it, and exactly what the bugs are. If the team is just a group
of assembler programmers, you will end up with a new version of
AMOS, that will only be of use to other assembler programmers, who will
not bother with it as they could do better in assembler!

AMOS was produced with the average user in mind, and should stay that way.
The only way you will do anything to improve it is to get maximum input
from the people who use it every day.

Also, lots of assembler programmers working on different aspects of one
program is bound to lead to problems. The Main Development Team for
AMOS Pro consisted of one main assembly programmer (Franois), and
eleven AMOS enthusiasts. Richard Vanner would ask us all what we wanted
to see in AMOS Pro, he would tell Franois, and Franois would go off
and do whatever he wanted! The system worked perfectly!
(Well, 97% perfectly according to Amiga Format and CU Amiga)

Perhaps you should ask Franois if he wants to be on the team! :)

---
Dominic Ramsey
[email-masked]