Re: The "user-developer gap" myth

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Jeff Blakeney writes ...
>
 ....

> If you develop hardware or software specifically for use on an Apple
> II, I would consider you an Apple II developer.  If you haven't done
> this for quite some time or don't take part in discussions about your
> products on the major message bases, then I wouldn't consider you an
> active Apple II developer.
> 
> For instance, Mike Westerfield of the ByteWorks released GSoft BASIC
> at KFest '98 but has released no new Apple II software since then nor
> have I seen him around the message bases much lately.  He is
> definitely an Apple II developer (and a great one at that) but,
> unfortunately, he isn't very active anymore.
>
 ....

     If someone develops software and/or hardware for the Apple II or for
interfacing the Apple II to another computer or for running Apple II software
on another platform, then, that person may reasonably be called an "Apple II
developer". This applies even if the person does not release a new product
every month.

     Evidently, your objective is to take every developer who gets along well
with users-- which is something above 95% of all developers-- and just define
them out of existence in order to come up with some big gap between
"developers" and users. Won't fly.

     Your so-called "gap" is clearly bogus. To believe in such a thing (if
you really do) requires a _wish_ to believe. Why would you wish for there to
be a gap between users and developers?



 ....
> 
> The Apple II users on Delphi are still a close knit bunch and are
> always happy to welcome more people.
 ....

     Thanks to a long, sorry record of user abuse-- personal attacks, deleted
messages, lockouts, etc.-- three of the Apple II forums on Delphi do not even
mention the two forums you're promoting. I've lost count of the number of
posted and emailed complaints; but, at some point, one just has to say
'enough is enough'. Sending any enthusiastic new Apple II user to such places
is a disservice.

     Probably, given the "close knit" nature of the clique which runs the two
forums, there is no way to boot the bozos responsible for killing them
(pretty much the same way they have bombed KFest). If you can't dump the
dopes, your best bet for running a successful Apple II Programmers' forum on
Delphi is to start your own and make sure the screwups do not get Assistant
status.



Rubywand