R3.0 Plan for December 2008
Here is an update on our 3.0 plans...
Our primary goal is to move the project from the "lab" and get it out to more developers. But, we recognize that it must be done in a way that does not create chaos or it will stop us in our tracks.
During November
- Our main focus remained on the GUI system. (Even if you think it's not
that important for your use of REBOL in console mode, the GUI is a great
stress test for natives and I/O devices.)
- Fixed various internal 3.0 bugs, mainly ones creating problems for
the GUI.
- Continued enhancements to the GUI look and feel, and enhanced the
operation of a range of GUI styles.
- Built a prioritized list of PARSE enhancements to add to 3.0.
- Added the primary popup/modal and requestor mechanisms. It's a good
model that solves many of the problems we faced in R2.
- Moved the 3.0 bug database for more open access via the web.
- Built the first 3.0 reblet, RebTalk, as an overall stress test of the system. Includes HTTP server backend.
- Added more doc pages to DocBase, mainly related to the GUI.
I would like to thank Henrik, BrianH, DocKimble, and BrianT for their efforts last month.
For December
If I can paint a perfect picture of the future, here's what I'd like to
see this month:
- The REBOL development community using and testing R3.0 in a
much bigger way. It's time to jump forward. With that in mind, read the
list that follows.
- Provide R3.0 download via web URL. It would run as a bootstrap
that would connect to the web and download various modules and reblets.
The benefit for us is that a single exe gets a longer life because
updates (and patches) can be made.
- Easy source code access. Personally, I know that when I look at
other open software projects, if there's an easy way to get the source
code and submit my changes/fixes, I feel like I'm contributing in a
useful way. I want that for R3. But, it needs to be easy and
clear.
- A centralized forum for developer discussion. We've been using
AltME, but it's a darknet (private), and we know it's not the best thing
for large multitopic discussions. Last month the community talked a lot
about a range of possible solutions, including web-based BBSes. But, the
more I consider it, the more I want a REBOL solution. As I've said
before my reasoning boils down to this: most forums waste my time. So I
need a system that I can easily enhance, extend, reprocess, etc. I'm
really picky.
- A finished GUI. Well, at least one that has the default look we
like and all of the primary components (styles) used to write reblets
(and much more easily than in R2).
- The module system. Most of the hard part (namespace handling)
is already in the current R3.0, but we need to implement the policy
layer, a set of mezzanine functions mainly. We don't want (and I will
reject) anything too complicated. I've been there before, and it
gets problematic really fast.
- Fix bugs as listed in the bug database.
Yes, it's a lot to do, and this is a holiday month, but I want 3.0 out!
Don't you?
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