Sean,

I don't think I need to specifically address any of your points beyond
saying for some reason you hit a sour chord in me. My initial reaction was a
bit of a knee-jerk. Let me just be blunt about what I expect so there isn't
any room for misunderstanding.

I expect the Firebird community to focus upon and adopt IBO as the "tool set
of choice" for those wishing to use Delphi and its siblings. Whether or not
Firebird has an IBX port fostered along should, IMNSHO, not be an issue
because that segment of need is fulfilled by IBO. Rather than saying, "we
deem it very important that there be an IBX port for Firebird", just say
"Who cares if there is or there isn't. We have that base covered with IBO
and we have bigger fish to fry." And, what makes you think I suggested you
make a new competitor in that niche?

I don't want to say I am anti-competition, but rather pro-focused
cooperation. What I would really like to see is a committed front from those
of a position within Firebird to say something of the effect: "IBO does
everything IBX fundamentally does and more and it is totally committed to
backing our efforts 100% and as a result we deem that IBO should be the
focal point for all those needing tools in this segment. We discourage the
splintering of efforts except where absolutely necessary and if reasonable
compromises cannot be met."

With a licensing concept like trustware it is impossible to form any sort of
monopoly because people simply don't have to pay for anything if they chose
not to. If I raise prices I simply hurt myself by pricing people out of the
market. What I would really like to see is an increase in sales units so
that I can lower my pricing and still meet my current budget demands, growth
being considered. This would be a big win for us all.

If more and more people adopt IBO, I'll have more revenue to pump into
sponsoring Firebird bug fixes on top of what I have done and am doing, I may
be able to take up additional employees who could actually devote more time
to benefiting Firebird directly, I could commit funds to getting the IBDH to
actually happen, etc. There is a lot of things that a focused effort could
bring together. I think my past actions and sacrifices should make it clear
that I am not just penning pretty words. Won't you agree that one of the
most painful limitations to Firebird is that there are no full-time
sponsored activities surrounding it? I'd like to change that if I could.

Besides, why should so many precious hours go into a set of tools that has
been playing catch-up for the past few years and still has critical
architectural flaws and a transaction model from hell? Do you think Borland
is going to put part of their revenue back into Firebird? Do you think they
are going to sponsor bug fixes in Firebird code? Do you think they are going
to help the IBDH happen? What on earth are you trying to gain by being so
kind and accommodating to the IBX cause for when is all you have received
from that camp is grief and hostilities?

I have been under the impression the Firebird camp was much more polarized
to the IBO side as I have been hoping they would be, for sake of creating a
focus. That is the basis upon which I made the statements concerning
Firebird's attitude towards IBX that I did. I believe now I can see this is
not the case at all. I believe there are some things I probably need to be
rethinking.

Regards,
Jason Wharton
CPS - Mesa AZ
http://www.ibobjects.com