Sunday
Oct262008
abandonware
Sun, October 26, 2008 at 2:11 PM
one of the things that really annoys me with authors who abandon their software is leaving in in limbo.
this used to be a big problem in fidonet (can you say bluewave? i knew you could. not only was the software abandoned, but anybody releated to it's development vanished.) but it's extended to the internet age.
just recently i got a an update notice for visualhub (no link as the site is likely to disappear) that said development was going to stop. but the author did two things that would have me register his next application should he write another one. one, explained how to back up the current version you were running, and two, he opensourced in on sourceforge.
i have two programs "out there". ("tkblog" and "galactic empire builder") neither has been abandoned, but they haven't gotten updates in ages either.
tkblog was tcl/tk based and even though you can run it on max os x, if you ask me it's not worth the effort. i don't use it on my mac, marsedit suits my needs perfectly.
galactic empire builder was written for for/on a palm IIIe device, i have a few problems with running it on my tungsten, but haven't had the time to debug them fully. i have the latest version of the development software, but it runs on windows and i have't installed in on my xp vm.
i'm in the process of porting it the mac anyway. :)
this used to be a big problem in fidonet (can you say bluewave? i knew you could. not only was the software abandoned, but anybody releated to it's development vanished.) but it's extended to the internet age.
just recently i got a an update notice for visualhub (no link as the site is likely to disappear) that said development was going to stop. but the author did two things that would have me register his next application should he write another one. one, explained how to back up the current version you were running, and two, he opensourced in on sourceforge.
i have two programs "out there". ("tkblog" and "galactic empire builder") neither has been abandoned, but they haven't gotten updates in ages either.
tkblog was tcl/tk based and even though you can run it on max os x, if you ask me it's not worth the effort. i don't use it on my mac, marsedit suits my needs perfectly.
galactic empire builder was written for for/on a palm IIIe device, i have a few problems with running it on my tungsten, but haven't had the time to debug them fully. i have the latest version of the development software, but it runs on windows and i have't installed in on my xp vm.
i'm in the process of porting it the mac anyway. :)
Reader Comments