Why will XSharp Cahors 2.11 not be released as Open Source?

[hilberg.it]

Hi,
what are the reasons, why XSharp 2.11 will not be released as public build?

Progress update [...]
2.11 will NOT be released as a public build.

How are you planing to proceed with future builds?

[wriedmann]

Hi Moritz,
even if I'm not a member of the development team, but a subscriber of the FoX program, I can answer the first question.

X# is an open source project, but nevertheless the development team needs to eat and to pay their bills, so they need some income for their work on the project. So the FoX program was created, at a very reasonable annual cost.
The members of this program have some advantages:
- direct support from the development team (that is relative, because the development team gives the same support also to non FoX members)
- faster compiler (compiled itself in production mode) - IMHO a very small advantage
- more frequent releases - originally it was defined as a release every month instead of one every 3 months

IMHO the last point is the most important one, but it has a sort of advantage also for the free version: free versions are released only when the FoX subscribers don't find severe bugs.

Therefore: if you are earning money using the X# compiler, it should be an obvious move to subscribe to the FoX program.
Of course, if you are working on hobby or study base, or you are only in the evaluation stage, there is no need to pay - and IMHO this is really important.

After all, the FoX subscription is less expensive than nearly any 3rd party control collection subscription, and should be affordable for anyone workling in the developed world (I fully understand that for people working in countries with lower incomes and prices it may be a too high price).

Wolfgang

[robert]

Wolfgang.
You are 100% correct.

Robert

[Chris]

Hi Wolfgang,

- faster compiler (compiled itself in production mode) - IMHO a very small advantage

It's a little more than twice as fast. So compiling a library in say 8 instead of 20 seconds I would think is a good enough advantage, isn't it?

.

[wriedmann]

Hi Chris,
sincerely: I have not done any tests - I don't expected it was so a big difference.
But the compiler is so fast now that I don't have to wait - maybe because I don't have large files in my current projects.
But you are right: that is a big deal, specially when compiling large migrated applications.
Wolfgang

[robert]

Hi,
what are the reasons, why XSharp 2.11 will not be released as public build?

Progress update [...]
2.11 will NOT be released as a public build.

How are you planing to proceed with future builds?

One more thing:

If you really want this build now you can do 2 things:
- get a FOX subscription
- download all the source and build the components yourself. Even though we are not releasing 2.11 binaries you can still build it yourself. Please note that this not easy and I would not recommend it, but it is certainly possible if you have enough time.


Robert

[hilberg.it]

Hi Robert,
just that I understand it correct: You mean one of the two things you described is sufficient to get the release, right? So I could become a FOX or build it on my own? I think I will join shortly.
Thx

[wriedmann]

Hi Moritz,
joining is a good idea - after all the X# development is paid by the FoX members and the sponsors.
Without money the development would slow down too much.
Wolfgang

[ic2]

Hello Moritz,

So basically you are doing Fox members like me or Wolfgang a favor too, by becoming a Fox member

Saves us money in the end!

Dick

[Chris]

Hi Moritz,

Hi Robert,
just that I understand it correct: You mean one of the two things you described is sufficient to get the release, right? So I could become a FOX or build it on my own? I think I will join shortly.
Thx

Yes of course! It's an .OR., not an .AND. !
Also the subscribers get a complete installer, it's just different to the public one.

.