RE: A radical idea: a new XyWrite

[Harry Binswanger hb@xxxxxxxx]

So, it seems that there are 3 ideas that we should keep
distinct.


1. Modifying the existing code, such as adding a page-swap of
memory.


2. Translating the existing code into a Windows-friendly product.
(Porting or something like that.)


3. Ignoring the existing code and writing, from scratch, a new program
that will a) give us, the users, the same functionality as XyWrite, or
with trivial differences, and b) be able to use, or automatically
translate, all the nonASCII codes of XyWrite and run XPL.


I suspect that there would be no issue of property rights involved here,
since what we'd be doing is using a different means to accomplishing the
same end as XyWrite does. And anyway, no harm, no foul--and who is being
harmed by us 36 guys using a new program to do the same things as an old
program that has been abandoned for 12 years or more?


Which of these three alternatives is best?


Regards,

Harry


Reply to note from Philip White
 Tue, 10 Apr 2018

02:44:59 +0000


Hello, Phil, and thanks for joining the discussion.


I would imagine that access to the XyWrite source would have to be

worked out with Nota Bene and/or Dave Erickson, who presumably are
the

parties that have the rights. (I have no knowledge on this point,

however.)


Also, while the XyWrite 3 source is in assembler, I believe that

XyWrite 4 -- the version that Harry is looking to modify -- was
written

in C++. I don't know if that makes a difference to you.


--

Carl Distefano

cld@xxxxxxxx