[openbeos] Re: More talk on approach to R1 [desperately trying to change from Re: Tracker icons]

[...]
Michael wrote:
> The app developers need something to write for, period. R1 is that 
> base that 
> they need. Once that is done, they develop apps, we develop R2 and 
> blow 
> people's minds. This is why I have said so many times that I would 
> love for R1 
> to stay quietly under the radar of most of the rest of the world. R1 
> is a huge 
> accomplishment. But I can't really justify to a lot of people that 
> they should 
> switch. The apps aren't there. The ultimate cool new features aren't 
> there. 
> That's what R2 is for.
[...]
> And there is a time for that. R1 is not it. R1 is about a base on 
> which to 
> build. It is the foundation for the building, not the whole house!

I absolutely agree with Michael.

Something I suggested a couple of years ago (in a private mail I 
think), was that R1 is not really the best name for the first release 
of Haiku we're currently heading towards. It is not where we want to be 
by any stretch of the imagination, yet the phrase "R1" has certain 
contations of completion about it to my mind. Somethnig like R0.5 would 
maybe be seen as insulting to all the developers after the amount of 
work they put in however. Maybe abandon the R thing altogether.

How about something like "Haiku Preview Release (codenamed Walter :D)"? 
Interested people will find out more, try it, develop apps or whatever, 
but joe user would be put off. Interested people would instantly know 
that it is not a product we're particularly happy with as a finished 
OS, but would see enough positives to keep them intererested.

> > See the bigger picture, guys! 
> 
> I think that I do!

I think Helmar has misread the scope of the Haiku project here. I 
absolutely agree it would be great to have some organisation to 
guarantee consistency between apps etc, but personally I think this 
would be better accomplished by having an umbrella organisation that 
Haiku is a part of. Beunited or something. Haiku have quite enough on 
their plate making a kick-ass OS, without having to deal with 3rd-party 
apps that use different save icons (which I agree *should* be dealt 
with by somebody).

Helmar:
> My perception is that if GE/R2 had something really HOT to offer,
> while Haiku communicates the progress of R1 more broadly and
> effectively, I am sure more developers would come, especially if
> there are apps like a neat data migration or something else that
> doesn't exist elsewhere.

The best way of making people believe Haiku are able to pull off some 
"HOT" features in the future is to pull off a working system as soon as 
possible.

Saying "look we've got an OS that works and is usable and have these 
cool things planned for the next version" would bring many more 
developers than saying "we've not got anything you can use yet - but 
our base OS is going to be like BeOS R5 and our next version is going 
to have all these cool features".

> Data migration and a 'no reply
> necessary' feature aren't difficult. Someone just needs to add them.

And the feature-creep monster rears its head again. Hence why *every* 
new thing, no matter how "easy" to add, needs to be discussed and 
agreed somewhere; or at least added by someone trusted.

Simon

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