I was simply looking at AROS in a dispassionate way. I know you've always said that applications will come, but for me (and this thread does ask for personal opinions) that approach offers no confidence in the project at all.
Fine with me, but then I'd be curious to know which approach would offer you confidence in the project. Because, you see, by the sound of your words it seems like there's no way out of here: AROS is doomed, in your view, just because it's AROS.
But feel free to correct my interpretation of your words.
Mindless optimism is fine,
That's your mistake: you seem to think that the only possible way to look at things is yours, everyone else that has another view of the situation is culrpit of "mindless optimism". Don't worry, I'm not offended, but I hope you are able to see the point I'm making.
but it carries no weight with me.
As said, it's fine with me, we're not trying to convince you of anything.
That's why I regard AROS as overhyped and overrated.
So you think that everyone who thinks AROS is, or will be, a good alternative has gone mad?
Amiga applications are mostly closed source, and persuading developers to do specific AROS ports is a bit like relying on a future lottery win. You need to attract users to attract developers, or else stay a hobby project for a tiny number of hobbyist geeks. It's a hurdle you will have to face, and pretending it doesn't exist makes me believe you will never get over it.
So, basically, all you're saying is that
any new OS is doomed from the start, because of course new OSs, without applications by definition, can't have users, and without users there cannot be developers, and thus the OS is doomed to failure.
quite frankly, that's an highly semplicistic way to look at things. Look, look at aros-exec.org, look at the number of members and the traffic: I was
not expecting that much success, Bill, I was telling Ola and Nicolas (4play and mendoza) that in my opinion it was too early for such a project, that every other attempt at building a community site failed miserably (and for a reason). I've been proven wrong.
So, if even I, with my "mindless optimism", to use your words, can have my negative moments that get proven
wrong, then perhaps it's not as dark as you make it look.
But I'm open to suggestions, and constructive criticism: I'm not saying AROS is the best choice, I myself tell people that they cannot expect anything special from AROS right now, but
despite my warnings people seem to like AROS, we've even gotten a successful community site, heck! That must mean something. However, as said, I'm open to criticism, so, what would you expect from an effort like AROS, Bill?
No offense intended, of course.
No offence taken, of course.
