Chris Huff <chr### [at] maccom> wrote in <chrishuff-
2A3607.20410720012001@news.povray.org>:

>In article <Xns902F9BC79418Fhookflashhotmailcom@204.213.191.228>, 
>hoo### [at] hotmailcom (Hookflash) wrote:
>
>> I love MegaPov, but we are being kept waiting in the dark as far as the 
>> actual development schedule is concerned.  If someone on this newsgroup 
>> asks when 3.5 will be released, they will get several "When it's ready" 
>> responses, which are pretty much useless.
>
>Well, that *is* the answer...there is no way to predict the final 
>release date. All of the information has been given: it is not yet beta, 
>not all of the additions have been completed, but it will have most of 
>the new features of MegaPOV, the feature list has been frozen, the 
>features just have to be implemented and tested, and nobody knows when 
>it will reach beta, let alone final release.

That's why I dislike the current development model... The only information 
we get about the process is whatever the developers decide to tell us.  I 
would prefer a more open, community-oriented approach (OpenSource, 
basically).  But maybe that's just my preference.

>> I, personally, have no desire to strip out the renderer and use the 
>> parser or anything of the sort, but I don't really see what harm 
>> there would be in doing so. 
>
>Basically: it wouldn't be POV-Ray any more. The harm would be in someone 
>pulling out the renderer to use in their own program or distributing 
>crippled versions.

And what harm would there be in that?  If someone wants to use the renderer 
in their own program or distribute a crippled version, who cares?  If it's 
not PovRay anymore, they can use a different name and logo.

>It doesn't matter whether it will cause trouble or not, their permission 
>should be obtained first. Similarly, it doesn't matter if you think they 
>wouldn't mind.

How can we obtain their permission when we can't contact them?

>I assure you, development *is* being done on it. POV-Ray hasn't been 
>abandoned.
>But also remember that the POV-Team is doing this as a hobby in their 
>free time...they do not make money off of it, and in many cases spend 
>money on it. If you want the latest, go get MegaPOV.

I appreciate the work the PovTeam is doing, but I think it would be easier 
on them *and* the community if we had a more open development model.  Of 
coarse, I could be wrong (it's happened once or twice before... j/k;-)

Hookflash

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