Ric wrote:
.... snip
> From your message you are obviously you are aware of J.
> It is available on Windows, Linux and MacOS. J code written on one
> platform will run (including GUI) on the others.
>
> A CRAN/CPAN-like library exists that enables J-users to contribute
> packages that can be easily installed for use (and inspection) by
> other J users.
>
> All the code for the IDE is written in J and can be freely inspected
> (and changed if required) by users.
>
> The system is freely available for download & use (not hamstrung in
> any way).
>
> The only part of the system and that is "not-open" (as opposed to "not
> opensource") is the code for the core J engine - it is available for a
> price (see jsoftware website).
>
> I'd be interested in hearing why you will "never go back to non-
> opensource languages for anything critical"?
>
Ric,
I absolutely agree with You on J: it's a *beautiful* product, and its
no-limits download is what attracted me to the APLish world.
I believe that the limit imposed from jsoftware on sources is a very
smart alternative to opensource, considering you can use the whole
system for free .... even if conceptually I can feel some envy for the
old non standard symbols of APL, much more dense as for information
transactions, IMHO.
Now for your last question, I'd have a long and elaborate answer, but I
know this is not the right situation and I'm not sure I know English
well enough to express myself 'ad hoc'.
To make a long story short, I wasted along the years (many) so much
money in exploring various software proposals (dead languages, dead big
software houses ... sigh!), that I decided not to cooperate anymore with
people who literally say "first pay, then see if we sold you a solution.
If not, or incomplete, or buggy, too pity but that will be none of our
business.". You know how the software licences are prepared as I know
.... ;-)
Nowadays its simpler to find a language which has been deeply explored
by tons of programmers, hunting for bugs, patches, new features, who
mantain it 24/24 for passion and with great attention, and I prefer to
donate to those communities, than to pay a software house which can
disappear tomorrow, leaving me and my projects out in the cold ....
Marco
NB: All this has absolutely *nothing* to do with J and jsoftware, be it
clear. My opinions on J are clearly expressed, I hope.
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