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Another turn of the crank on the VB version?

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EricL:
Okay, two things.

First, I take it that turning the crank on a few more VB versions isn't going to mess up anyone's effort in snap shotting the code for a port, so I will likely re-enguage on the VB fork in early September.  I'll fix bugs, implement suggestions that pass the feasability bar and add a few other features.  Magintude of stuff will be like before - nothing seriuously architectural or earth shatterring, but small to medium enhancements are likely.

Second, we've discussed this before Nums, but you and I differ in our opinions about how to move off of VB.  Let me say first that I agree whole hearily with your comments regarding code structure.  Compartimentalization and polymorphisim are great things.  Being able to unit test and have multiple developers working in independent modules in parallel is wonderful.  I am all for moving the code (in any language) towards a more modular underlying architecture.  But that is somewhat orthoginal to the larger question of moving off of VB.  You advocate the more radical "revolutionary" approach of breaking with the past and essentially building a new system from scratch, re-using code where applicable but making no real effort to preserve backward compatability, continuity of sims, etc.   I advocate the more evolutionary approach (pun intended) of a straight accross port of existing code and function prior to any radical changes, be they code architecural, physics architectural or feature related.  I would suggest that a good first goal to shoot for takign my approach should be that all 2.43 sims and bots should work well on any ported code prior to any work being put forward on enhancements or changes in underlying code architecture.  (Yes, you will need to change some things due to language differences, but these should be kept to a minimum until stability on the new language has been acheived).  I have some expereice in language ports and while it may not seem that way, IMHO the incremental approach gets you there faster without loosing your audience.  It's just easier not to try to port and re-design or re-architect at the same time.  You port, you stabilize, then you re-design or re-architect, one or two modules at a time.  IMHO, the investment we have in the VB code w.r.t. stability, features, bug testing, etc. should be leveraged to the maximum extent.  Old discussion.  Not urgent it would seem.  Could certainly try both paths at the same time.  Not going to settle it here.  Enough on that.

Give me a few weeks to play in the sun while it lasts here in Seattle and then I'll start work on a VB based 2.44.  Suggestions and bug reports in the appropriate forum welcome.  I will look through prior posts.

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