Metacard 4

[Richard Gaskin]

Richmond Mathewson wrote:
> J. Landman Gay wrote:
>> Wilhelm Sanke wrote:
>>> This may have been already noticed here, I just want to make sure:
>>>
>>> The Rev "Standalone" files - necessary to build standalones - of 
>>> versions 4 dp3 and dp4 do not work with the Metacard Standalone 
>>> Builder. Version 3.5 does.
>>
>> Mark Waddingham mentioned to me some time ago that the MC SB will need 
>> rewriting. I sent him a copy of the current MC builder script and he 
>> said it wouldn't be hard to rewrite -- but that's the last I heard.
>>
> Um, why do I have the feeling that rewriting the MC SB is not on the top 
> of Mark Waddingham's to-do list?

It probably isn't, and needn't be:  standalone building is now just 
another engine command.  We've been doing the much harder job of 
maintaining the scripted standalone building implementation; I would 
imagine it will be much simpler once RunRev hands off the argument list 
to Klaus or myself.  It needn't take any of Mr. Waddingham's time at all.

> MC is rapidly becoming  an interface that is so crude it is increasingly
> difficult to access the burgeoning new features being introduced into
> the RunRev engine.

The nature of your communications here raises the question of why you're 
here.  You've made your point quite clearly and more than once; you can 
rest assured we get it.

Consider it merely a matter of personal taste if that helps.


> Having said that, seemingly hypocritically, I will request an MC license 
> number when the final version of
> RunRev 4 comes out; even if only to fiddle around with MC's GUI (if I 
> can find the time).

No need; there are no MC license numbers anymore.  Mark Waddingham did a 
brilliant thing with Rev 2.7 which made their investment in the engine 
more secure while simplifying the work of making custom IDEs:  they went 
back to engine-based licensing as Raney used to do.

But unlike Raney, their license restrictions are time-based rather than 
scriptLimits-based, so they had to put that logic into the engine.

And they did so beautifully:  the engine requires a valid licensed Rev 
install, but once that's in place you can make any IDE you want.  The 
engine is able to verify the license key on its own, so the overhead for 
them and their MC-fan customers of maintaining two different license 
keys is a thing of the past.  Simple, flexible, secures RunRev's 
interests -- truly a win-win for all.  They get paid, you get freedom. 
What's not to love? :)


> Has anybody tried using the RunRev 4 dp4 SB with MC?

Until the standalone API is delivered I can't.

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  Rev training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
  Webzine for Rev developers: http://www.revjournal.com
  revJournal blog: http://revjournal.com/blog.irv