tima@agora.uucp (Tim Anderson) (12/08/90)
I was just muttering the other day that our 'main' program needs a text editor so that you can edit configuration files, and edit gigantic CNC programs if need be. I though 'hey, why don't I blow the dust off of my copy of Smalltalk/V (that's VEE not FIVE!) and just slap together a coupla cute messages in there TextEditor object!' This of course is what program- ming is all about, eh? So now I'm stuck with a monstorous Smalltalk image for a puny text editor. Oh well! How do I distribute it? I dunno, I geuss I'll call up Digitalk and ask. I called them and talked to a sales guy that told me I needed the 'run time image' program at $500 a year!! Yikes! I realize that there has to be a fee of some sort for a bindable run time image, but $500??? He also stated that they were 're-thinking their policy on the distribution of the run-time package'. I don't have to pay Microsoft to distribute the program's that I write using their (albiet lame) C compiler, DAMMIT! Granted there is considerably more proprietary code floating around in a running smalltalk program than a running C program's... It's a good thing that Digitalk is 're-thinking' their distribution. Quite honestly I flat out refuse to pay for the ability to allow other people to use something I create. This is another reason why we don't use 'Phar Lapp' either... Needless to say a text editor in smalltalk will not be distributed with our program. Hence the question of this entire article, if for some reason I write a program in Smalltalk, is there any way to distribute it other than in source form that doesn't cost me a plug nickel? I mean lets say I want to write the greatest (fill in the blank here) and give away copies to everyone in the world. I geuss that I couldn't write it in Smalltalk, eh? tima@agora.hf.intel.com
klimas@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (12/13/90)
> So now I'm stuck with a monstorous Smalltalk image > for a puny text editor. There is a Digitalk cloner to remove unwanted stuff and various third party "pruners" also. Some folks while fooling around with these pruners have managed to get a ST/V286 window with "Hello World" down to a 29Kb image! >Oh well! How do I distribute it? I dunno, I geuss > I'll call up Digitalk and ask. I called them and talked to a sales guy > that told me I needed the 'run time image' program at $500 a year!! This is for unlimited copies on /V. There are no fees associated with /V-PM and /Vwindows. This is an extremely reasonable policy to commercial developers like us, considering what you are getting. > Yikes! I realize that there has to be a fee of some sort for a bindable > run time image, but $500??? Don't forget that the actual ST/V program itself can be bought for approximately $65, so that may make more sense if you only want to distribute one or two copies. Compare that to the $500 for MS C that you'd have to pay! > He also stated that they were 're-thinking > their policy on the distribution of the run-time package'. I don't have > to pay Microsoft to distribute the program's that I write using their > (albiet lame) C compiler Then maybe you should use Microsoft C. Serious developrs won't have a problem with paying $500/year for qualified support. Just consider the royalty as a way of insuring Digitalk has a vested interest in supplying bug fixes and upgrades for the tools you are building your product upon. Oh yes, please compare how long you wait on the phone to get a MS C question answered vs. a Digitalk ST/V question. > DAMMIT! Granted there is considerably more > proprietary code floating around in a running smalltalk program than a running > C program's... > > It's a good thing that Digitalk is 're-thinking' their distribution. Quite > honestly I flat out refuse to pay for the ability to allow other people to > use something I create. I'd rather share a little with someone else to make sure that they're around to fix bugs and provide enhancements. This in the long run is a hell of a lot more sound business practise than betting your future on a garage shop that is unrealistic about it's needs for future support staff. > This is another reason why we don't use 'Phar Lapp' > either... Needless to say a text editor in smalltalk will not be distributed > with our program. Hence the question of this entire article, if for some > reason I write a program in Smalltalk, is there any way to distribute it > other than in source form that doesn't cost me a plug nickel? I mean lets > say I want to write the greatest (fill in the blank here) and give away copies > to everyone in the world. I geuss that I couldn't write it in Smalltalk, eh? Others may already be doing the greatest (...) in Smalltalk and you might find that the market window train has already left the station without you <GRIN>!
MUHRTH@tubvm.cs.tu-berlin.de (Thomas Muhr) (12/13/90)
In article <1990Dec7.181509.6641@agora.uucp>, tima@agora.uucp (Tim Anderson) says: >with our program. Hence the question of this entire article, if for some >reason I write a program in Smalltalk, is there any way to distribute it >other than in source form that doesn't cost me a plug nickel? I mean lets Smalltalk/V Windows will compile to non-royalty *.exe programs.
Paul.Regenhardt@p0.f500.n5000.z200.METRONET.ORG (Paul Regenhardt) (12/19/90)
If you wanted to write the greatest <fill in the blank here> you could certainly do it and give it away to the entire world. As a matter of fact, if you send it to me I will certainly put it on the next distribution disk of the public domain Smalltalk code. The only problem with it is, the person recieving it must have their own copy of Smalltalk....otherwise your code isn't of much use. But there is no reason in the world why you can't file out your changes and give them to anyone. BTW, we have a distribution agreement with Digitalk that is more like $50.00 a copy. Heck, I think that's steep considering you can get their program for $149.00. My biggest problem with Digitalk is that their program only runs on the PC. Making Smalltalk in Denver, Paul Regenhardt --- ZMailQ 1.12 (QuickBBS) * Origin: Jaguar's NetWorking Labs, (303)377-2371 HST/v.32 (200:5000/500.0) -- Paul Regenhardt - via MetroNet node 200:5000/301 The Bohemia BBS System, Boulder Colorado (303)449-8946 UUCP: Paul.Regenhardt@p0.f500.n5000.z200.METRONET.ORG or : ...!boulder!bohemia.METRONET.ORG!500.0!Paul.Regenhardt