The Rev IDE Doesn't Suck

[simplsol at aol.com]

Spence,
  Either your experiences with Rev or your expectations are different 
than mine. I am not talking about "perfection", just basics.
  For example: "Stability". If I save my work after every action, I can 
get through an entire day without a crash. If I do not save my work 
constantly (old HyperCard behavior) Rev will crash in about an hour. 
(The crash seems to be related more to the amount of time used than any 
specific action, for instance, if it is time, Rev will crash just 
opening the docs - something it usually does without drama.) Rev will 
even crash just sitting open on the desktop, doing nothing! I am using 
OS X 10.4 on an Al PB with 1 Gig of Apple installed RAM - I have the 
same problems on a Ti PB using 10.3, and various iMacs.
  You are right about extendability. You can work around many of Rev's 
problems with Richard's Devolution, Jerry's Gadgets, and assorted 
plugins from Frederic and Chipp. But should you need to install a 
plugin to get the cursor to work properly?!? It is nice to have a 
choice of script editors, but shouldn't the one shipping with the 
product "work"? How many people know that they need to get a plugin 
 from Chipp to actually remove the debug checkpoints Rev only appears to 
remove?
  Certainly there has been progress since version 1 - and nothing a 
couple pure "bug fix" upgrades can't handle. I just expect Rev to be "a 
little more perfect" than it is today - and I am concerned that fixing 
77 bugs a quarter in not enough, soon enough.
I am glad to hear that you are satisfied.
 Paul Looney

 -----Original Message-----
 From: James Spencer <jspencer78 at mac.com>
 To: How to use Revolution <use-revolution at lists.runrev.com>
 Sent: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 20:46:45 -0500
 Subject: Re: Constellation's Great, But the Rev IDE Doesn't Suck

 On Oct 17, 2005, at 8:11 PM, simplsol at aol.com wrote: 
  
 > Dan, 
  > I, for one, think you are being way too kind to the Rev IDE. The > 
debugger opens at random sizes. Buttons and bits of buttons float > 
around the script editor. Opening the Variable Watcher opens the > 
Object Inspector (on top of the VW window on my system). The > Variable 
Watcher doesn't watch variables reliably (the clickLine is > a 
particular problem in my work). Hard to believe a Version 2.x > product 
could have so many basic "flaws and rough edges and quirks". 
 > Go Jerry, go! 
 > Paul Looney 
  
  I disagree. We are not at version 2.x, we are 2.6.1. At 2.1 your 
comment was valid but in its current incarnation, I find the IDE, at 
least the OS X IDE, to be a solid useable product. It is not perfect 
but it's "close enough for government work." The fact is that Rev is an 
incredibly complicated product and perfection is not to be expected. 
I'm always astounded at how well it works. 
  
  That having been said, one of the really, really cool things about Rev 
is that the IDE is infinitely extendable and modifiable: if its work 
flow bugs you, then change it. In this regard, I completely agree with 
Dan's comments. As good as the standard IDE is, for me Constellation is 
a great, great tool, one that for my purposes really enhances Rev and 
makes me just want to write applications and lets me do so faster. This 
environment, enhanced with Constellation and its related tools, is 
simply a blast and I think I'll go write some code. 
  
 Spence 
  
 James P. Spencer 
 Rochester, MN 
  
 jspencer78 at mac.com 
  
 "Badges?? We don't need no stinkin badges!" 
  
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