Re: future of LedgerSMB

["Chris Travers" <..hidden..>]

On 1/22/07, Joshua D. Drake <..hidden..> wrote:
> Jeff Kowalczyk wrote:
> > --- Chris Travers wrote:
> >> If we rewrite the entire application at once, I am quite afraid it
> >> will never be completed simply because it is such a big task.
> >
> > I agree with this, a rewrite with redesign [1] would take way too long for any
> > new or SL user to remain interested in SMB.
>
> Bah! I disagree completely. As long as we maintain the stable branch it
> would likely not effect us at all.

Sure it will.  Existing users investing in custom code will be
seriously affected.

Here is my view:

we are far better to stick with one language (probably Perl) for the
official LedgerSMB core distribution.  Eventually, we want an ability
to easily interop with API's at various levels for add-ons in other
languages.  I personally will not support a switch of languages unless
we have a real discussion on all the costs and benefits of doing so
and only if this happens once we are in a position to really do a
clean break.

Of course, having a system where you have to install Perl, Python,
TCL, and Ruby on your Windows server in order to get the functionality
you want is probably unacceptable.  So I would also suggest that once
the structure and API framework is stable (at 2.0) that it is likely
that various other LedgerSMB compatible application servers are likely
to exist in ohter languages.  So I would actually encourage the
community at that point to create compatible apps in TCL, Python,
Ruby, C, or whatever is desired...
> The fact that people were even willing to run SL speaks to that.

Please bear in mind that many of us have existing customer bases that
require custom code to work.  I am not about to change languages
without serious considerations being made to this area.  Furthermore,
as bad as SL is (and we all know it is pretty bad) every time I do a
migration from any other system, I tend to get even more horrified.  I
have yet to find a secure accounting app for small businesses that is
really GAAP compliant and well designed.

Best Wishes,
Chris Travers
> The rest I don't have much of a comment on ;)
>
> Joshua D. Drake
>
>
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