That I can still use API 1 code is well and good and so potentially lets me keep backwards compatibility …
But that is only as long as I don’t do a save as … something I do often If I want some coding I’m not sure will work out (and no I don’t have the the time to learn and deal with the hassles of using Xojo with version control software that i keep reading about)
And i need backward compatibility… For instance the project I started yesterday for work HAS TO run run on some Macs running 10.7…
Between that and the fact that coding with API 2 would slow me down a lot (needing to keep going to the Language Ref for details), and that trying to keep API 1 and API 2 both in my head would be a real mess, keeps me from writing API 2 code…
< cough >
clears throat
but wouldnt you just get all those to update their OS ?
I mean doesnt EVERYONE on the planet just run the latest machines and the latest version of the OS ?
< /cough >
and now I get to roll my eyes
at how fundamentally SOME people completely misunderstand WHY backwards compatibility has great utility
How does the new version release of Xojo with new functions (API2 for example) impact on update / new licenses sales compared to a new update with only bug fixes?
Public perception of release with new features:
“Yes! New features !!! ;)”
Public perception of bug free only release:
“Doh ! They had so many bugs ? How many are still lurking in the dark ? :(”
Remember: we are not public, we are pro, developers who know bugs are everywhere and need to be removed: I love to read Release Notes with many bug removals entries. It’s like Christmas in the middle of the year.
Who cares how it affects Xojo sales, the only important effect, is on you as an individual or your company as a business enity in regards to how the product works for you, not how many units are sold to others…
Public perception of release with new features:
“Yes! New features !!! ;)”
Again, this affects units sold, but its up to you do decide if the tool works well enough for you… and as been seen, many are deciding that this is not the case any longer
Remember also, that Xojo has as much as stated, the “Pro Developers” (and even highly experienced non-pro developers) are NOT their targeted client base. They are going after the “newbie” market… Probably because they feel they can wow them with BS (and I don’t mean BigSur), where the rest of us see right thru the crap.
Minor rant time. Wasn’t the point of changing the name from RealBasic to make it appear less targeted to newbies and more like a “serious” language? Constant major changes and feature additions while still having a long list of bugs don’t make it seem like a serious, stable language. And I’m not even doing web or mobile, just desktop.
The attitude of the company has me increasingly convinced that they’re focused on something other than what I need (cross platform desktop), and I wonder if they’re aware that even small time people like me are seriously looking at other options (which happened when VB6 went to .NET, when I found RB). I appreciate what Xojo does for me right now, but it’s just a matter of time before something else is available.
You can always just duplicate the saved version of the project file/folder before saving the changes that you may not wish to keep. Main difference being the original code is in the backup copy rather than in the original. Not prefect, but a reasonable workaround.
