With Microsoft releasing a huge portion of their .NET framework into the open source world, I have to ask the question to Xojo: is it time to open source the Xojo framework? I can think of several benefits of this:
More features faster: Advanced users to implement the features they want to the framework and contribute those features back to the community.
Improvement on pre-existing features: As with benefit point 1, already existing features could be improved upon by the community.
Less work for Xojo: Xojo would still work on the framework, but by open sourcing it, that would relieve some of the “pressure” the community has on Xojo. Meaning that if user “A” wants “X” feature, s/he could dive into the framework and create it, or said user could nudge the community to implement it. Basically, implementing certain features would no longer only be pushed onto Xojo.
With the open sourcing of .NET, the framework could gain some .NET features, such as String Builder. Another example is DOM access for the HTMLViewer. I find it quite pathetic that DOM access does not exist in Xojo.
Well, Microsoft is a small company, and not really known for quality software, so more people on board to find and fix all these pesky bugs is a good thing for them
“Is it time for MLB to reinstate Pete Rose” wants a piece of this. #LazyTopic
[quote=77122:@Shane Gibbs]1) More features faster: Advanced users to implement the features they want to the framework and contribute those features back to the community.
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A handful of “Advanced users” already do this, and except for 1 case, it’s mostly not worth their effort. Time is money. Shane, here is what I pretty much try to say whenever anyone brings this up. “The community” does not need organizers or visionaries or strategists. It needs people to do things. So go do something. If you feel that open source is the right way, make it open source. If you think “Advanced users” will contribute, then get them to contribute. I’m admittedly quite skeptical, but always happy to be surprised.
[quote=77122:@Shane Gibbs]With Microsoft releasing a huge portion of their .NET framework into the open source world, I have to ask the question to Xojo: is it time to open source the Xojo framework? I can think of several benefits of this:
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The corollary is that of course you should open source the products you make money from
[quote=77122:@Shane Gibbs]1) More features faster: Advanced users to implement the features they want to the framework and contribute those features back to the community.
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Sounds great in theory.
I’d say try getting an open source effort to implement anything going in the community first.
Then you’ll find how unlikely this goal is.
I know this will sound perverse to some open-source proponents, but if Xojo was open-sourced, I’d be very concerned and I’d be commencing a long journey to find an alternative product.
My topic was about the framework that powers Xojo, not Xojo itself. Just as an example, the engine / framework that powers Stencyl is open source, while the Stencyl IDE remains closed source.
FYI: If the framework was open source, then the IDE is still closed, and thus Xojo’s revenue stream intact.
However, I do understand that this will never happen. I just wanted to clarify what I originally posted.
