From: SOFTARCH.DEV@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Software Architects, C Nelson,PRT)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.oop.macapp3
Subject: MacApp's Flames & Futures
Date: 28 Jan 93 12:18:00 GMT
Organization: AppleLink Gateway

Attn: MacApp3TECH$
Attn: Eric Berdahl
SentBy: Carl Nelson
 
SUBJECT      MacApp's Flames & Futures        OFFICE MEMO      1/28/93
                                                                       2:45 AM
Folks,
 
MADA came into existance as a place for folks doing Object Oriented
Programming to share their hard-won knowledge in using an Application
Framework to deliver Macintosh Applications. (I should know as one of the
founding fathers - Aug 1986 and currently a board member).  Since then the
technology&industry have progressed and needs have changed.  The MacApp
community has helped to drive Apple's Framework & OOP direction.   MADA and
its membership (you) have also been instrumental in filling the gaps that
Apple has left in its delivery of MacApp and OOP.
 
This community can rightfully complain about how Apple has gone about
developing and delivering its technology for us to use.  BUT I do not think
MacApp will go away just as the PDP 8 or Apple ][ did not disappear when the
next generation (or product line) of CPU was introduced by their respective
manufacturer.  MacApp is a complex technology created to support application
development.  A worthy occupation that will not likely soon go away.
 
MacApp is a technology that will need to be supported (either by its users
(you) or some appropriate arrangment with MADA, yourselves and Apple) for as
long as you feel it is useful in supporting and creating great new products
with it.  The MADA board is actively pursuing ways of making this happen.  We
do not want to talk about that which we can not deliver.  We ask that you stay
active in MADA and share and contribute your hard-won knowledge so others may
prosper and grow.
 
Apple for 5 years said "MacApp is the way to go...  Choose MacApp and you will
be on the right path..." and they delivered (to some extent) on the promise.
Some of you have to admit that MacApp 2.0 and 3.0 have been very useful in
launching many software efforts.  And that when Taligent talks about 'objects
all the way down to the OS' you have a reasonable grasp of how that just might
work or be 'really useful' when doing application development.
 
BUT now I find myself (and I assume most of you) frustrated by a lack of clear
signals as to what I should do now that I am on the path and until such time
as Bedrock is ready.  It leaves me with an uneasy feeling.  I want my regular
fix of 'cool' and 'new technology'.  This lack of direction from Apple
regarding MacApp does not make MacApp any less useful.  It just makes their
messages (be it MacApp or Bedrock) less credible.
 
I do believe (have faith, mostly because I know many of the players and that
the general intent, direction and design of the effort is right) that in the
long run Apple and Symantec will ship something of great usefullness in doing
application development (it's the stuff you have been asking for).  Until
then, and as long as we have product shipping with MacApp, for Macintosh
development, we will continue to use MacApp and share what I have learned with
my fellow MacAppers and OOPsters.
 
 
Respectfully.....
                           .....Carl Nelson