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Gentlemen
While I know there are a host of items that we've not got ironed out, most of the immediately pressing items have been articulated to some degree or another here in this forum. We could go on infinitum finding things to worry about without getting even a slightly functional product out of this project. There may be things that we never get satisfied with, individually or collectively.
If all things could be considered, created, and compiled into an application we wouldn't have applications like PowerBASIC versions 1 to 9. VB versions 1 to %WHATEVER, WINDOW versions 1 to $INFINITY*2. Some things have to be left for a future version.
Most of the answers we need to create version ONE are already present somewhere in this forum, buried in one thread or another. We'll never have enough information to create the ultimate converter without getting version ONE out in the hands of the users. We need their feedback.
So I'm going to throw a curve at you.
I have begun creating version ONE for the masses.
It won't be pretty.
It won't be very functional.
It won't be well coded.
It won't be intuitive.
It won't provide user options.
It won't have a help file, just a readme.txt file.
It won't supply the source code for the converter.
It won't be called a converter either.
It will be called a diagnostic application.
It will ask potential users, or anyone that wants to experiment, or anyone that wants to help without getting too involved to put the program through the motions with code from a code repository already established on the net.
It will generate a minimal PB .bas file for the daring.
It will generate a file of known required modifications to the source code file. These may be embedded in the source code as well.
It will generate a file to be returned to us for each conversion attempt.
It will request OS version. (All information thus acquired will only be used for converter development)
Its intent will be:
To gather information regarding the number of potential users.
To gather information to guide conversion needs.
To prompt user feedback.
To develop potential recruits to the cause.
To provide information on several fronts, like a feedback system.
To ensure that new users are aware of the project.
To help maintain a rapport with the fora at large.
Please feel free to:
Tell me not to do it(anyone with access to this forum)I will listen to reason.
Request that I gather specific information.
Advise me on attitude.*
Please don't ask me to explain it all here before I have it ready. You will see it before it goes to the potential users and have a chance to make a suggestions for improvement that may be made. Alternatively, if anyone thinks this is a good idea can make a list of all information that I should be sure to seek. My input into the converter forum may wane while I pursue this avenue, but I will be lurking not far away.
The list of wonts and wills may grow with development. The target really is more information.
This effort is not being put forth to delay any activity on development of the converter, so anyone working on any aspect should carry on. You may get the converter finished before I get the diagnostic application functioning, but I don't think so.
*My attitude towards this whole converter idea is that the converter should become a reality, sooner instead of later. I will be working on it in some way shape of form for quite some time. While each and every one of us has our own reasons for being granted access to this forum, I feel we are too small a group to define all the converter features, even though we have done a very good job to this point. I have an immense amount of faith in this project, and there has been a great deal of thought, work, and explaning put into a great many aspects. Due to the volunteer nature of all aspects of preparing the converter, a great deal of tolerance and acceptance is required for and from each of us, but we also have to be cognizant that we won't know if the product is indeed a solution until users have had a say. To get that we need to be giving them something to give us feedback on.
My intention is to post it as a volunteer of the group looking after this aspect of the project. Any repercussions should be on my head only. Allocades to all the members of the project. Diagnostics will be made the focus, with very little reliability on what converting is done. Users will be told to expect something possibly quite different from the layout of the converter user interface.
While I know there are a host of items that we've not got ironed out, most of the immediately pressing items have been articulated to some degree or another here in this forum. We could go on infinitum finding things to worry about without getting even a slightly functional product out of this project. There may be things that we never get satisfied with, individually or collectively.
If all things could be considered, created, and compiled into an application we wouldn't have applications like PowerBASIC versions 1 to 9. VB versions 1 to %WHATEVER, WINDOW versions 1 to $INFINITY*2. Some things have to be left for a future version.
Most of the answers we need to create version ONE are already present somewhere in this forum, buried in one thread or another. We'll never have enough information to create the ultimate converter without getting version ONE out in the hands of the users. We need their feedback.
So I'm going to throw a curve at you.
I have begun creating version ONE for the masses.
It won't be pretty.
It won't be very functional.
It won't be well coded.
It won't be intuitive.
It won't provide user options.
It won't have a help file, just a readme.txt file.
It won't supply the source code for the converter.
It won't be called a converter either.
It will be called a diagnostic application.
It will ask potential users, or anyone that wants to experiment, or anyone that wants to help without getting too involved to put the program through the motions with code from a code repository already established on the net.
It will generate a minimal PB .bas file for the daring.
It will generate a file of known required modifications to the source code file. These may be embedded in the source code as well.
It will generate a file to be returned to us for each conversion attempt.
It will request OS version. (All information thus acquired will only be used for converter development)
Its intent will be:
To gather information regarding the number of potential users.
To gather information to guide conversion needs.
To prompt user feedback.
To develop potential recruits to the cause.
To provide information on several fronts, like a feedback system.
To ensure that new users are aware of the project.
To help maintain a rapport with the fora at large.
Please feel free to:
Tell me not to do it(anyone with access to this forum)I will listen to reason.
Request that I gather specific information.
Advise me on attitude.*
Please don't ask me to explain it all here before I have it ready. You will see it before it goes to the potential users and have a chance to make a suggestions for improvement that may be made. Alternatively, if anyone thinks this is a good idea can make a list of all information that I should be sure to seek. My input into the converter forum may wane while I pursue this avenue, but I will be lurking not far away.
The list of wonts and wills may grow with development. The target really is more information.
This effort is not being put forth to delay any activity on development of the converter, so anyone working on any aspect should carry on. You may get the converter finished before I get the diagnostic application functioning, but I don't think so.
*My attitude towards this whole converter idea is that the converter should become a reality, sooner instead of later. I will be working on it in some way shape of form for quite some time. While each and every one of us has our own reasons for being granted access to this forum, I feel we are too small a group to define all the converter features, even though we have done a very good job to this point. I have an immense amount of faith in this project, and there has been a great deal of thought, work, and explaning put into a great many aspects. Due to the volunteer nature of all aspects of preparing the converter, a great deal of tolerance and acceptance is required for and from each of us, but we also have to be cognizant that we won't know if the product is indeed a solution until users have had a say. To get that we need to be giving them something to give us feedback on.
My intention is to post it as a volunteer of the group looking after this aspect of the project. Any repercussions should be on my head only. Allocades to all the members of the project. Diagnostics will be made the focus, with very little reliability on what converting is done. Users will be told to expect something possibly quite different from the layout of the converter user interface.
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