Disqus - Latest Comments for dwarfland

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 12:29:45 -0000

I don't have to ask if people are willing to pay, I can see whether our languages have been selling for the past 17 years or not... (spoiler: people do)

Nobody has to pay to *learn* Mercury. the target audience is (clearly) people who already know and like Visual Basic.NET and want to continue using their existing expertise... which is millions of people world wide.

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 10:53:31 -0000

You clearly know what you're talking about. I love how the goalpost keeps moving. Now development tools may cost money, if they have been around for a while? or based on how many people at Microsoft have worked on them?

FYI, Elements has been around since 2004. It's a full IDE, compiler and supporting toolchain for seven platforms and six languages, used by thousands of developers to create any imaginable sort of software projects. Comparing it to Visual Studio is entirely apt, and nothing like your car vs airplane analogy.

And Mercury *has* seen an extensive beta test for over a year, FWIW.

And finally, obviously the employer pays for the tools used by his employees. the point is, someone is *paying* for professional tools that are used in a professional context.

This discussion is so dumb.

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 09:46:53 -0000

Have you ever looked at Visual Studio pricing? $45 per month per developer (for non-personal use) for the low tier. $250 a month for Enterprise.

Also, FWIW, Mercury is not in beta anymore, this is the shipping "final" product.

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 09:44:59 -0000

Ironically, I just looked it up, Visual Studio is $250 a month (Enterprise) and $45 a month (Professional), per developer... Guess that's dead on arrival too... ;)

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 09:42:18 -0000

Well, not all other development tools are free, many in fact cost a lot more than Elements/Mercury. Ever looked at actual non-Community pricing for Visual Studio, for example?

Even if some drills were free, if others offer better functionality and features that make the carpenters life easier, a professional will gladly pay for the drill that isn't. The same is true for developer tools, including compilers.

Ever filed a bug report with Microsoft, for Visual Studio, or with Apple for Xcode? Did it get fixed a year later? probably not. Most bug reports we get (and many feature requests) are fixed the next *week*. To some (many) people, that is worth something, for a tool they rely on to make a living.

And Elements can do some amazing things that no other tool chain does. If that's worth something to you, its with the price. if it's not, then obviously it's not.

But arguing that everything has to be free just because some things are is just plain stupid. Professional tools with professional support cost money — and if they are good, are worth the money to professionals.

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 08:20:56 -0000

the monthly subscription is just one of many options.

what is it with (some) software developers not getting that good tools cost money? Imagine a carpenter going into the hardware store and going "what the f! they want MONEY for this power drill!? are they nuts?" 🤷🏼‍♀️

with how much hiring a software developer cost, what is $499 a year to give them a good tool that makes them productive, by comparison?

Re: 'Modern Visual Basic' Mercury Language Debuts -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Wed, 12 May 2021 08:17:53 -0000

thanx, much appreciated.

Re: Mercury Is Latest 3rd-Party Visual Basic Effort: 'Multiplatform VB++' -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 17:25:36 -0000

You can find more info, download and pre-order at https://www.elementscompile...

Re: Mercury Is Latest 3rd-Party Visual Basic Effort: 'Multiplatform VB++' -- Visual Studio Magazine

dwarfland — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 17:24:25 -0000

https://www.elementscompile...

Re: Comment: Should Apple add more granular security settings to iCloud Photos?

dwarfland — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 11:49:57 -0000

There’s already an API where apps can let you pick a photo without gaining access to the whole photo library. Sadly, none of the apps that should (looking at you, Facebook) use it – I wonder why. 🤔

Ideally, Apple should get stricter in forcing all to use that API instead of the full-blown photo library access where applicable – because Facebook and co certainly won’t do it voluntarily.

Re: Feature Request: A ‘camera in use’ indicator in iOS for foreground apps

dwarfland — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 07:50:36 -0000

That’s a rather arrogant and context-missing thing to suggest. It’s not an option for everyone/most people, at least not if you have a social life.

Re: How to watch UFC Fight Night 163: Moscow on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV

dwarfland — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 08:02:55 -0000

Slow news day, huh?

Re: Latest Apple Park drone tour provides our first peek inside the Steve Jobs Theater [Video]

dwarfland — Tue, 30 May 2017 17:41:29 -0000

why are these videos alyways dated one month ahead? last i checked, its ot QUITE June 2017 yet...?

Re: Appmethod: a new platform for creating “truly native” apps for Android, iOS, Windows and OS X

dwarfland — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:34:12 -0000

Have you checked out RemObjects C#? (http://remobjects.com/cs)

Re: Shape Of: Push, Dropbox, Async, and Indie Sockets

dwarfland — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 18:21:10 -0000

Gus - wondering if you considered using something such as Data Abstract (http://remobjects.com/da/xc... It should give you exactly the kind of technology you need for this. [disclaimer: I work for RemObjects]. Feel free to drop me a message if you have further questions or want me to set you up with a complementary copy.

Re: Six Signs That the iPad Review You’re Reading Is Crap

dwarfland — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:36:24 -0000

you forgot the first and most important warning sign: 0. The reviewer's name is Paul Thurrott.

Re: I Feel So Safe

dwarfland — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:09:09 -0000

amen, brother.

Re: 99c

dwarfland — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:26:10 -0000

while i like and agree with the above suggestions, my main take on this is:

(a) price your apps as you want to. ideally starting at $10+ and up. it's not like anyone is FORCING devs to take part in this mad gold rush that is the Top 10 list

(b) market your apps externally, just as you would do with your Mac (Windows, Android, *cough*Pre*cough*, insert "open" platform of choice here) apps.

i don't really see how the AppStore market (in this respect; avoiding any discussion about approvals, here) is any different than any other software market. You get what you pay for - and you can't really except the AppStore to do your marketing for you (or if you do, you shouldn't bitch about having to follow its idiotic quantity-over-quality paradigm that the AppStore ecosystem has evolved into). The choice is yours.

Personally, i think people (smaller numbers of people than those shelling out $.99 everywhere, for sure) are perfectly willing to pay appropriate prices for iPhone software, just as they are on, say, the Mac. The people that won't are the same that complain about a $39 price tag for Mac apps and refuse to pay that (but you don't see Mac software decreasing in price, because developers, rightfully, say "if you think $39 is too steep, go fuck off".

All that's really missing on the iPhone side, IMHO, is for more developers to be "brave" enough to price their app decently (and telling people to fuck off if they complain how overpriced $2.99 is).

Re: MonoDevelop on MacOS X - Miguel de Icaza

dwarfland — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:34:54 -0000

good stuff, can't wait to give this another try (and update the Oxygene/Delphi Prism integration, as well ;)

Re: Rob Enderle: A Douche for All Seasons

dwarfland — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:56:23 -0000

oh boy. so let me get this straight: approving apps without apparent review: bad. not approving them: censorship.

Re: Glee

dwarfland — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:56:44 -0000

for some reason, i anticipate this being "something entirely different" than what Apple is doing. call me cynical.