#a4000 Impressions
But my deeper point is, it's obvious to see how something straightforward
like file format translation would be affected both positively and
negatively by completely open standard mechanisms for interchange, but it's
also possible that almost everything else will become "components" that
interact and play their information in essentially "gadgets" in the
terminology of datatypes, or "containers" in terms of Windows OLE. Will
these things called "applications" disappear, replaced by applications that
just manage containers and talk to behind-the-scenes engines?
Let's say you make a word processor. How many text editing datatype
libraries will someone need? Will CBM provide a minimal one? What could
you do to make your text class library appealing enough to sell as a
product? Will people be willing to buy yours if two other companies are
giving text libraries away with their application, because they didn't want
to license yours, and CBM's wasn't smart enough?
As I said, I'm ambivalent about this trend. It might mean the end of
software development as we know it; or at least the "fun" parts that we do
now. Or it might simply transform and evolve our present-day concepts.