XaraLX has been, sadly, quietly dropped from all Linux repos.
The path to this ending, was actually scripted during the earliest parts of it's story.
I have (quietly) followed some, who took to task, working at porting the Cairo rendering engine..., only to see them lose their drive, ambition, etc., as well.
Thinking it might have been a fair candidate for the KDE development team to consider, as a replacement for Karbon..., I had sent a pm to an admin at KDE dev forum, with no reply.
I had thought that since KDE took such an interest in Krita, some time back, and literally helped to raise it from the grave..., there may be some hope there for XaraLX, as KDE graphics is only missing a vector program.
Maybe, just maybe..., one last ditch effort? To send an actual email to an old friend. At least then perhaps, it might at least be mentioned among the KDE devs for consideration?
Then again, many "old friends" have seemed to have faded from various circles within the Linux community.
In writing this, I find myself thinking about some people. Wondering how they are doing... Perhaps it is time to send quite a few emails out.
7 years is a long time.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Friday, August 14, 2009
Project on hold
Well, this project seems to not have many interested at the moment.
I am placing it on hold until such time, as I can track down some experienced, interested developers, without whom this project has no hope.
The key players are interested in seeing some activity, but require that there are independant linux devs in play to perform the work needed.
I am placing it on hold until such time, as I can track down some experienced, interested developers, without whom this project has no hope.
The key players are interested in seeing some activity, but require that there are independant linux devs in play to perform the work needed.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
What's the first step?
I have been asking myself this question for a while now.
And the only thing I can think of is.. that we have to get a plan together, as to how we are going to go about getting this matter out to the masses?
Part of the process, is going to be the need to have a solid, and factual history of the original project for people to read up on, and know the current state of XaraLX.
I have been in touch with both Charles Moir, the founder of Xara.. and Carl Worth, the creator of Cairo.
Charle's opinion is, that it would most likely be more realistic to try to get work moving again on the existing code for XaraLX, mainly getting it to work with Cairo.
There is a Linux developer, associated with Charles / Xara who is willing to do some work, only if it involves working in Cairo to make the project completely open-source. Which is fully understandable.
Carl Worth, said, his original offer, to provide tech assistance to any devs working on porting Cairo into XaraLX still stands.
This is all good news. It is good news, because it shows that the dream of reviving this project has some reality and potential tied to it from the start.
We have a few XaraLX users / fans, who would really love to see the project moved back into the "active" domain... and 3 major players who are willing to, and wanting to see it happen.
Only thing left to do, is to find as many users as we can who feel the same, and hopefully, along the way attract enough attention, to get some serious Linux developers interested.. and see that the project is actually worth while.
Some people will argue, that we already have Inkscape. But the way I see it... Yes, we have Inkscape, and it is great... but, it is also nice to have an alternative and/or additional choice.
XaraLX has some features, which Inkscape does not... and vice-versa. Linux, is about choice.. and supporting projects and applications which are striving to become a valuable addition to the open-source world. So, it would not make sense for anyone to sit there, and do anything in their power to attempt to shut the project down. When this happens, they are basically trying to shut down the entire theory behind "open-source" and "community"
The story behind the CDraw rendering engine, is long behind us. It's time to move forward, and work at bringing XaraLX into the open-source community, as a valuable, and useful addition to the community. It is time... to show what "open-source" is really all about... and not help those, who would try to show the world that Linux is a negative and hostile environment, full of people who just want everything for free.
And the only thing I can think of is.. that we have to get a plan together, as to how we are going to go about getting this matter out to the masses?
Part of the process, is going to be the need to have a solid, and factual history of the original project for people to read up on, and know the current state of XaraLX.
I have been in touch with both Charles Moir, the founder of Xara.. and Carl Worth, the creator of Cairo.
Charle's opinion is, that it would most likely be more realistic to try to get work moving again on the existing code for XaraLX, mainly getting it to work with Cairo.
There is a Linux developer, associated with Charles / Xara who is willing to do some work, only if it involves working in Cairo to make the project completely open-source. Which is fully understandable.
Carl Worth, said, his original offer, to provide tech assistance to any devs working on porting Cairo into XaraLX still stands.
This is all good news. It is good news, because it shows that the dream of reviving this project has some reality and potential tied to it from the start.
We have a few XaraLX users / fans, who would really love to see the project moved back into the "active" domain... and 3 major players who are willing to, and wanting to see it happen.
Only thing left to do, is to find as many users as we can who feel the same, and hopefully, along the way attract enough attention, to get some serious Linux developers interested.. and see that the project is actually worth while.
Some people will argue, that we already have Inkscape. But the way I see it... Yes, we have Inkscape, and it is great... but, it is also nice to have an alternative and/or additional choice.
XaraLX has some features, which Inkscape does not... and vice-versa. Linux, is about choice.. and supporting projects and applications which are striving to become a valuable addition to the open-source world. So, it would not make sense for anyone to sit there, and do anything in their power to attempt to shut the project down. When this happens, they are basically trying to shut down the entire theory behind "open-source" and "community"
The story behind the CDraw rendering engine, is long behind us. It's time to move forward, and work at bringing XaraLX into the open-source community, as a valuable, and useful addition to the community. It is time... to show what "open-source" is really all about... and not help those, who would try to show the world that Linux is a negative and hostile environment, full of people who just want everything for free.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Why?
Why are we putting effort into an attempt to revive the development of XaraLX?
The answer to that question is simple... XaraLX is worth it. Period.
The history of the Xara Extreme port to the Linux platform, is clouded with inaccurate information, fed by those who will go to any length to bring down any development of any software, in which the owners of that code are not willing to fully release every single bit of code to the last character under the rules of Open Source. Even if doing so would mean bringing about the ultimate demise of the owner's of said code.
If you had worked many years, to build a product, with one particular piece to the puzzle, which put your product far ahead of anything, any of your competitors had, and it became your entire source of income and means to provide for your family... would you want to simply hand it over, under a GPL? The answer is... "No" you would not. Especially if you had built an entire company around that very code.. and you have an established, obligation to remain in the market, and pay your employees.... and the list just goes on and on.
The fact is simply this. Just because there are many people out there, who enjoy putting countless hours of hard work into something... with the full intent of sharing that product with the entire world... free of any charge.. does that mean that "everyone" should do exactly the same.. or that they are any less of a person if they don't?
If the answer were yes... then there would not even be a such thing as a "business". There would never be any such thing... as many things. There would not even be any need for money.. what the hell would we use it for... if everything is free?
You say that is a rather unrealistic approach or view on the whole matter? Why? Actually, it is very much realistic. But, do not take this as me having any problem with "free-products" it is quite the opposite, I assure you. I love free stuff.... I think free stuff is the cat's ass!!! FREE ROCKS!!!!! And I am extremely grateful to those who put in much of their hard work and time into great stuff... and give share it with everyone, for free... YOU ROCK!!!!
But, I also have a deep appreciation for those who realize, that what they produce... has a fair market value. They realize that they can profit from their hard work and time... and that is great too. This is the thing which makes the world go round... It is what gives people drive, motivation, ambition to be the best, and succeed, and excel at what they do. It causes them to strive to put out an even better product.. Not to say that there are no free products which compare to those which carry a price-tag, because there are many which are every bit as wonderful.
It is just that both views, carry their own, entirely different objectives. And it is a good balance to all concerned. And, admittedly... very often, one has much more to gain from making the decision to purchase a commercial counterpart... to anything which is offered up for free.
There are benefits... such as a warranty. Where the people who produce the product, are obligated to provide a certain level of satisfaction to those who pay for and use their product.
When one chooses to use a product, that is offered up for free... there is no obligation by the owner/creator to stand behind the product... you use it at "your own risk" And that is ok too.
These constant wars over how bad a company is for not handing over everything they've got for free is just simply ridiculous. It is not even a solid argument, and there is no way to defend such notions that everyone should do it, based simply on the fact that.. that is what you think they should do.
I have seen this argument pop up on many occasions on the internet for various reasons... and, I can't help but wonder... do any of the people who start those wars or rants even realize just how absolutely ridiculous they sound? And the funniest part of it yet... it is usually people who have never, themselves put together a product.. after countless hours of hard work and personal time... and then released it out to the public, completely free of charge.
They are usually just the type of people.. who think that everyone owes them, everything... for free?! Simply because that, is what they want... and they think you should just give it to them. And they will argue the entire situation to death... using absolutely bizaar and often hyporcritical rhetoric to make their arguement... which, in the end... makes absolutely no sense what so ever, and only succeeds in getting a bunch of people all fired up over... nothing.
Such wars and rants.. have unfortunately, and rather unbelievably had enough of an impact to effect many projects in the past in a very negative way.... XaraLX was one of those very projects.
And then there are those who will trumpet in to explain it is not "free" as in free beer..., it means make the source code open (and free)..., which, if broken down in the end..., basically means.., "free", as in free beer. (duh).
The answer to that question is simple... XaraLX is worth it. Period.
The history of the Xara Extreme port to the Linux platform, is clouded with inaccurate information, fed by those who will go to any length to bring down any development of any software, in which the owners of that code are not willing to fully release every single bit of code to the last character under the rules of Open Source. Even if doing so would mean bringing about the ultimate demise of the owner's of said code.
If you had worked many years, to build a product, with one particular piece to the puzzle, which put your product far ahead of anything, any of your competitors had, and it became your entire source of income and means to provide for your family... would you want to simply hand it over, under a GPL? The answer is... "No" you would not. Especially if you had built an entire company around that very code.. and you have an established, obligation to remain in the market, and pay your employees.... and the list just goes on and on.
The fact is simply this. Just because there are many people out there, who enjoy putting countless hours of hard work into something... with the full intent of sharing that product with the entire world... free of any charge.. does that mean that "everyone" should do exactly the same.. or that they are any less of a person if they don't?
If the answer were yes... then there would not even be a such thing as a "business". There would never be any such thing... as many things. There would not even be any need for money.. what the hell would we use it for... if everything is free?
You say that is a rather unrealistic approach or view on the whole matter? Why? Actually, it is very much realistic. But, do not take this as me having any problem with "free-products" it is quite the opposite, I assure you. I love free stuff.... I think free stuff is the cat's ass!!! FREE ROCKS!!!!! And I am extremely grateful to those who put in much of their hard work and time into great stuff... and give share it with everyone, for free... YOU ROCK!!!!
But, I also have a deep appreciation for those who realize, that what they produce... has a fair market value. They realize that they can profit from their hard work and time... and that is great too. This is the thing which makes the world go round... It is what gives people drive, motivation, ambition to be the best, and succeed, and excel at what they do. It causes them to strive to put out an even better product.. Not to say that there are no free products which compare to those which carry a price-tag, because there are many which are every bit as wonderful.
It is just that both views, carry their own, entirely different objectives. And it is a good balance to all concerned. And, admittedly... very often, one has much more to gain from making the decision to purchase a commercial counterpart... to anything which is offered up for free.
There are benefits... such as a warranty. Where the people who produce the product, are obligated to provide a certain level of satisfaction to those who pay for and use their product.
When one chooses to use a product, that is offered up for free... there is no obligation by the owner/creator to stand behind the product... you use it at "your own risk" And that is ok too.
These constant wars over how bad a company is for not handing over everything they've got for free is just simply ridiculous. It is not even a solid argument, and there is no way to defend such notions that everyone should do it, based simply on the fact that.. that is what you think they should do.
I have seen this argument pop up on many occasions on the internet for various reasons... and, I can't help but wonder... do any of the people who start those wars or rants even realize just how absolutely ridiculous they sound? And the funniest part of it yet... it is usually people who have never, themselves put together a product.. after countless hours of hard work and personal time... and then released it out to the public, completely free of charge.
They are usually just the type of people.. who think that everyone owes them, everything... for free?! Simply because that, is what they want... and they think you should just give it to them. And they will argue the entire situation to death... using absolutely bizaar and often hyporcritical rhetoric to make their arguement... which, in the end... makes absolutely no sense what so ever, and only succeeds in getting a bunch of people all fired up over... nothing.
Such wars and rants.. have unfortunately, and rather unbelievably had enough of an impact to effect many projects in the past in a very negative way.... XaraLX was one of those very projects.
And then there are those who will trumpet in to explain it is not "free" as in free beer..., it means make the source code open (and free)..., which, if broken down in the end..., basically means.., "free", as in free beer. (duh).
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