Originally posted by movieman
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Originally posted by suokko View PostIt is simple to change underlying implementation while keeping same interface.
Again, the only reason to push a 'stable API' on the kernel is because you don't want to release your source code. If you don't want to release your code, then the onus is on _YOU_ to keep up with kernel changes, not on kernel developers to go to a great deal of extra trouble maintaining APIs that they no longer want.
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Originally posted by movieman View PostYou can do it, yes: Windows ability to run ancient DOS programs has proven that. But why would you want to?
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Originally posted by deanjo View PostWhy? Because there are a large number of applications out there that are specialized for tasks. DOS based apps are still alive and well in many industrial applications. Typically these applications are not your "on the shelf for $50" but often cost thousands of dollars and do their job rather well. Just off the top of my head I can think of 10+ applications that there is no other OS equivalent. Hardware gets old and dies and replacing it shouldn't mean having to re-invest in software that fully accomplishes the task needed.
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Originally posted by kraftman View PostThere wouldn't be such problems with open source. It's better to implement better API from time to time and OS projects will adapt. You don't have to keep crappy designed ABI's to make some old programs work. It's one of the reasons why OS is better then closed source.
Not true at all. How many developers for example would maintain items such as dry cleaning software, oil field monitoring software, trucking software, ILS systems, weight and scale systems, custom inventory applications, seed cleaning software, etc etc etc. Many such applications would require complete rewrites add large cost to the user for a system that would mean either investing heavily in not only paying for the redevelopment of the software but also in many industrial cases would require upgrading of the hardware they are meant to be monitoring as well. When it comes to opensource such solutions are like trying to find hens teeth where they are maintained on a regular basis. Being opensource by no means of the imagination means maintained. Sure one might have the oppertunity to do so but it does not mean by any extent that will happen, especially in specialized software where the target market is small.Last edited by deanjo; 21 May 2009, 10:07 AM.
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Originally posted by deanjo View PostNot true at all. How many developers for example would maintain items such as dry cleaning software, oil field monitoring software, trucking software, ILS systems, weight and scale systems, custom inventory applications, seed cleaning software, etc etc etc. Many such applications would require complete rewrites add large cost to the user for a system that would mean either investing heavily in not only paying for the redevelopment of the software but also in many industrial cases would require upgrading of the hardware they are meant to be monitoring as well. When it comes to opensource such solutions are like trying to find hens teeth where they are maintained on a regular basis.Last edited by kraftman; 21 May 2009, 10:18 AM.
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Originally posted by kraftman View PostIf they have to be completely rewritten that's clear. If such apps are old it will be even harder to maintain them or impossible if they're closed source and company is no more.
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Originally posted by deanjo View PostThus why maintaining that backward capability is important. To switch to other solutions would millions if not billions of dollars in infrastructure to redo.
Saying it sucks because it's closed and hoping that someone may even have the faintest clue let alone ambition to maintain such needs exists in a "dream world" but when real life is in play it doesn't apply in practice.
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Originally posted by deanjo View PostThus why maintaining that backward capability is important. To switch to other solutions would millions if not billions of dollars in infrastructure to redo. Saying it sucks because it's closed and hoping that someone may even have the faintest clue let alone ambition to maintain such needs exists in a "dream world" but when real life is in play it doesn't apply in practice.
The 'solution' to this 'situation' is developing sustainably to begin with, and that would mean for Linux.
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Originally posted by susikala View PostYour point is largely moot. Saying that crappy approaches to software design should be kept in place and used because they have met with large audience and _now_ the only affordable solution is to keep them in place is no more than saying 'this is the situation, face it'. It's not even an argument, it's at best a laying forth of the pitiful situation in the closed source world.
The 'solution' to this 'situation' is developing sustainably to begin with, and that would mean for Linux.
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