[Ocaml-biz] cross-platform tools

[Brandon J. Van Every]

I think a cross-platform ability is very valuable.  It was one of the
major sales points we were developing for the Python marketing campaigns
(before everything fizzled).  There's a lot of power in an organization
just setting up a box, beit UNIX or Windows or Mac or whatever, and It
Just Works.  They don't have to rethink all their hardware and OS
investments just to try some new language thingy out.  It gives
customers an 'out' when they want to migrate, they're not locked in to
some particular OS.  We had Success Stories about this being an actual
business advantage, for instance in ship construction.
http://www.pythonology.com/success&story=tribon

A personal consideration: I'm only willing to attach myself to
technology efforts that are cross-platform.  That can mean adding good
Windows support to a currently UNIX-oriented tool.  It can't mean
UNIX-oriented tools that don't wish to deal with Windows.  I'm only one
guy, and I don't necessarily expect people to share my views, or be
greatly concerned about my personal labor contributions to anything in
particular.  I'm just saying, cross-platform is what I will do.

Well, I'd be willing to do your Windows by their lonesome.  :-)  But we
all know this is a UNIX-centric crowd, so that would be impolitic.  We
need all hands on deck to make OCaml grow, and a Windows-centric
strategy can't do it.  A UNIX-centric strategy could do it, but as I
said, I personally won't do it.

Also, please realize that per my definitions, Cygwin and Mingw
environments aren't Windows.  They're UNIX in Windows drag.  Their goal
is to avoid Windows, not support it.  Native Windows developers don't
want them, and by cross-platform, I mean supporting native Windows
developers.  That means MSVC when a C/C++ compiler is needed for some
reason, and no UNIX header files or library dependencies.  It doesn't
mean the Visual Studio IDE, I don't think things have to be *that*
native.

Generally, I think things should depend upon *OCaml*, not UNIX.  I think
*OCaml* is far more important than OS choice.


Cheers,                     www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every           Seattle, WA

When no one else sells courage, supply and demand take hold.