64 bit desktop apps

[Richard Gaskin]

Roger Eller wrote:

 > On Thu, Jun 8, 2017 at 10:56 AM, Richard Gaskin wrote:
 >> Using a supported version of an OS that's receiving critical security
 >> patches along with other updates is the safest choice, and one that
 >> could not be more economical given a purchase price for most Linux
 >> distros of zero.
...
 >
 > But even with PPC Linux to revive old hardware, if LiveCode usage is
 > your end game, there isn't a PPC Linux version (or is there?).

Good point, touching on two aspects:

Security: Not only do OSes need to be updated to remain secure, but from 
time to time apps do too.

Viability:  When a user base for a given configuration is sufficiently 
low, it may be difficult to find resources to maintain it.

IIRC no computer running an OS LC supports has shipped with a PPC 
processor in about 12 years (Apple switched in 2005).  While I'm a big 
fan of minimizing landfills by extending the life of older hardware as 
much as practical, that's the key word, "practical".

If LC plays a critical role on a PPC machine revived with a supported 
OS, it will require that someone compile a version of LC for that CPU 
and OS.

At the moment, AFAIK the size of the audience for such a build is 
currently 1.

So clearly if this were to happen at all it would have to be a community 
project.

Given the time required, it may be more cost-effective to either replace 
the machines with any Intel-based system that can support modern OSes 
(here in the States many EDU orgs get donated Core Duo and Core 2 Duo 
machines from local businesses who've upgraded), or replace the LiveCode 
role on those machines with something that supports PPC.

With the latter option, though, it may buy only a little time but not 
much:  since no new mainstream computers have been made with PPC CPUs in 
more than a decade, it's only a matter of time before more and more 
projects stop supporting that architecture.  Over time the range of 
supported software for PPC can only get ever smaller.

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Systems
  Software Design and Development for the Desktop, Mobile, and the Web
  ____________________________________________________________________
  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com                http://www.FourthWorld.com