From: Robert Feldt <feldt@...>
Date: 2001-10-23T17:05:46+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:23025] Re: SmallScript, etc (was: Re: I need some help!!)

On Tue, 23 Oct 2001, Conrad Schneiker wrote:

> Hi,
> 
Hi,

> "Phil Tomson" <ptkwt@shell1.aracnet.com> wrote:
> 
> > In article <j7ZA7.55709$gT6.28530023@news1.rdc1.sfba.home.com>,
> > David Simmons <pulsar@qks.com> wrote:
> 
> [Lots of stuff trimmed out.]
> 
> > >The SmallScript VM (AOS Platform) will be free.
> >
> > Will it be 'free' as in the source code will be available?
> > If not, can you help out with the development of Rite? ;-)
> 
> Well, this is a real long shot, but how much money would we have to
> (somehow) raise to make it worthwhile for David to open source his VM?
> 
Creative idea even though it may be difficult to put a price tag on it
since the potential is very large (esp. with the .NET coupling) but there are 
many uncertainties/risks. Doesn't mean one couldn't try though.

> A somewhat related (fundraising/marketing) question is, Would it be
> substantially advantageous for Perl 6 and Python to use his VM if it were
> available as open source?
> 
Interesting since there is power (and money!) in numbers and the
Perl/Python user bases are huge. For Perl 6 no one knows of the
benefits (since its not designed yet) and Python very probable
(I'm not very with Pythons details though).

Apart from money there might be other incentives (fame etc.). And it would
probably be a good idea to raise enough funds for the communities to hire
David to develop and adapt it.

But dont you think there will be NIH effects to consider?

Regards,

Robert