Rev Licensing - IDEs/GUIs/twiddly toolbars ???

[Mathewson]

"Beware the IDEs of March" Julius Caesar

Sorry, really found that pun unavoidable!

I have a few questions which the recent discussion does not
seem to have cleared up, and, I believe, might be of
interest to others in the MC/RR community:

The MC IDE is dependent upon the RR engine. (that, for the
fuzzy thinkers, is a statement of FACT, not a QUESTION). 

1. Why does RunRev not allow individuals who wish to work
with the MC IDE only a way to purchase the RR engine at a
reduced price without the RR IDE?

2. How closely supervised/overseen/controlled is the
direction of the development of the MC IDE by RunRev?

3. If somebody else (No, I won't, before you ask) wishes to
develop an IDE that is different from both MC and RR but
still dependent upon the RR engine would they be allowed to
proceed?

I believe that the answer to No.3 should be 'Yes' for the
simple reason that RunRev would still collect their 'pound
of flesh' (still stuck in Shakespeare mode) and diversity
is an extremely healthy sign in any environment.

A while ago I developed various alternative tool bars for
both RR and MC - and some people actually used the things.

4. Presumably it is still permissible for end-users to
develop "twiddly toolbars" and so forth - and freely
distribute them?

5. Where is the line between "twiddly toolbars" and
alternative GUIs?

Despite opinions to the contrary, I am, in my own funny
way, a stalwart supporter of Runtime Revolution, and this
e-mail message is the result of some long and hard thought.

The thing that has impressed me MOST about RR over the 5
years I have used it is its customisability (sorry, clumsy
term) - and I have a feeling that were RunRev to remove
that from end-users, either by legal caveats or by
tightening up the IDE, a fair number of RR stalwarts would
depart. It would be easy to dismiss Mr X's departure as a
'blip'.

I hope that . . .

sincerely, Richmond Mathewson
____________________________________________________________

"Philosophical problems are confusions arising owing to the
fluidity of meanings users attach to words and phrases."
                                       Mathewson, 2006
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