Hello everyone,

the WArMUp Association launches the operation "New developers for MorphOS". The purpose of this operation is to increase the number of MorphOS developers. This is initially lend computers to developers interested in the system to blue butterfly.

If the developer is productive, the computer is given. If it is no longer interested or has produced nothing after six months, he undertakes to return the machine to the person who gave it.

People would like to lend a MorphOS computers must be referenced on the map of MorphOS users and will be reported by a blue gift box with a red ribbon.

Interested developers can contact them directly via the mail on the map.

See map of MorphOS users.

[ Edité par Papiosaur 04.12.2015 - 17:41 ]

I don't want to be pessimistic, but - I think - this kind of projects are simply waste of time/energy, since a MOS capable hardware + key isn't a huge money if sombody finds MOS interesting. If not, then a free hardware will not help.

Other thing is, that a half year isn't too much to show something. (Only exception is if the volunteer doesn't have any girl/boyfriend or family)

[ Edited by deka 04.12.2015 - 09:10 ]

Hi Deka,

Members of association think which this project to lend MorphOS computer to developper is a good solution for developers could test MorphOS.

The future will say us if it's a good project or not, but if not we will reflect to others projects.

Don't hesitate to proposes good project to the association, thanks.

[EDIT] Yes, a delay of six months is maybe short, if the developer need more for this project, this delay can be extended of course). Thanks for this comment.

MorphOS Power!!!

[ Edité par Papiosaur 04.12.2015 - 09:40 ]

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That is true.

Do we really want developers who are only willing to do something because they get a free machine?

It's a good entry to make people try it out. A lot of programmers are also hobbyist in one way or another. Giving them a chance to play around and then commit them to make something in return might be a good thing. But only time will tell :)

I think, the main problem with this project is the lack of motivation.

If I start to write something means I need a program, what doesn't exists.... or exists, but I need a different approach. If somebody doesn't know, what MOS is at all, just don't know, how this motivation (which leads to type any code) will grow.

In another thread, there were explained, why MOS isn't a too much inviting platform for developers... Maybe the MOS NG will change also this, but it is not in the near future.

Well, some people just remember the Amiga fondly. That is basically how Spotify got interested in porting to AmigaOS 4. Well, then they got stuck because they don't know the API and because of this and that Hyperion didn't want to help.

But the basics are still sound: people who just want to make stuff for a hobby system might like this.

Quote:

Are you sure you meant to write "developers" in this sentence?

Yes, i'm sure

Make a easy language to code in available for MorphOS. When the A500 came out, AmigaBASIC came with it. Sure, its BASIC, but it spawned off alot of coding. Port RealBASIC or something like that, that is powerful enough to have newbies code and advanced developers also. I think what turns people off to development is the complexity of what needs to be done in C to build a GUI based application and/or docs on how to do that. Yea there is a MorphOS dev that has some docs, but even that isnt enough. IMO.

[ Edited by TheMagicM 04.12.2015 - 09:57 ]

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The question is: What kind of applications do we really need? I bet, Basic isn't enough powerful for bigger apps. Foir smaller apps, it could be ok... But Hollywood is there also for that.

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You might want to talk to a French lawyer about this. Requiring individuals to pay money so they can participate in a lottery / competition can be legally questionable (regardless of whether you have commercial ambitions or not).

Also, your text essentially states that developers are expected to pay for any hardware that is lent to other developers. That seems like a highly unusual concept considering that, typically, it is end users who pool financial resources to encourage the minority of developers to create more software for their preferred platform.

You've right, i didn't think about this...

I remove the line talk about that.

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One thing that comes to my mind instantly is an actually working GnuPG port (ideally 2.0.x). That prevents me using MorphOS for reading my emails; have to fire up Linux for that.

I am sure both Email-clients YAM or SimpleMail could use commits from additional developers too.

But that's only wishful thinking, I would not dare to complain about something.

Quote:
GnuPG is written in C, so having a BASIC interpreter/compiler is not necessary to port it.

Although I don't think this idea will work in getting us more new developers who can actually produce useful code, I don't want to be negative, so I will allow you to add me as one of the donors on the map. I have 1 or 2 licensed MorphOS systems I can lend to potential programmers.

My new address is in Northern California, not far (about 50 miles) from the border between California and Oregon, near the 5 freeway in the center of the state, so you can put an icon in that location for me as a donor who will lend licensed systems to new programmers.

As others have already said in other threads, the main obstacle in getting new programmers is the learning curve required to learn the Amiga/MorphOS API, and the lack of programming tools that most outside developers are used to having available on other platforms.

I will always be supportive of any new ideas on how to get more new programmers for MorphOS, and I actively try to think of new ways to gain new programmers. Hollywood programming language is one of the best languages we have to encourage development for MorphOS, because of its cross platform capability, and the fact that it continues to be developed and add features very often. But to get more outside programmers, we still need more tools that they are used to using on Windows, MacOSX, or Linux, and better documentation of MorphOS.

Getting a machine is probably the least problem. And I remembe quite some machines were donated in the past. Supply of donated machines was even bigger than demand IIRC.
I guess bounties for actual projects would be a better incentive.

And as for "easy" languages: We have quite a few. For one there is Hollywood.
Disadvantages: Costs money, "binaries" are big and (often) cpu demanding. But (not only) since MUI Royale and GL galore Hollywood became pretty powerful. Especially MUI Royale helps me to understand MUI better in general.
And there's Phython and Lua available for MorphOS.

For programming C/C++ on MorphOS I would appreciate more tutorials and massively commented example code snippets/mini projects (e.g. I would like a MUI with C++ for _extreme_ dummies).
Next release will come with a new IDE, that will probably be of some help.

[ Editiert durch Zylesea 05.12.2015 - 00:18 ]

Zylesea wrote it better than myself, but he captured what I was trying to write perfectly. I might be an extreme dummy, but can we label any new docs for MUI & C++ tutorials just for regular dummies?

I think targeting specific projects that most MorphOS users need to have completed, then proposing bounties for those specific programming projects, will have greater success in bringing new programmers to our platform.

Example: You find a program, game, or utility needed/wanted on MorphOS by many users, then start a bounty to see how much money can be raised to have such project coded. Afterwards, you advertise this bounty on many forums inside and outside the MorphOS community, where programmers from the Linux, MacOSX, and Windows worlds will see it, so they can make the decision if the amount of money is worth their time to complete the work needed.

If outside programmers find that doing work for MorphOS is not too difficult, they might then become regular users and third party developers of future MorphOS applications and games.

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I think Lua is the best bet for an easy (scripting) language on MorphOS. It's very well integrated to MorphOS: scripts do work natively out-of-the-box without needing to install any 3rd party stuff and it supports ARexx ports of the existing programs (can be used as a modern replacement for ARexx with backwards compatibility with the legacy programs). It's also very lightweighted, totally opposite to for example bloated 3rd party Python ports.

Hollywood is also based on Lua language and learning either standard Lua or Hollywood, you'll basically learn the other too.

Lua is also quite popular in mainstream and documentation you find in Lua's official pages and user wikis is pretty much all you need on MorphOS too. You'll find solutions and examples on every problem you encounter.

There's also a possibility to get a MUI module for the native Lua in the future, that would help to create small GUI based apps easily. I think that would be an ideal situation when Lua would be de facto standard for small and easy apps, while C would be for more demanding stuff. And lets not forget that Lua and C can also be mixed together.

In any case, I find it a major advantage that you don't need to install anything for Lua scirpts/programs on MorphOS, no need to be checking if user has installed big 3rd party extensions like Python to run your scripts.