PocketMatrix

I am posting this to let everyone know that I won't continue to improve PocketFrog for a while. I am not dropping support and debugging, I am simply saying that there is no new functionality coming (soon).

There is multiple reasons for this:

1) I wanted people to contribute to PF, hence the reason the source code is available. After more then 6 months, I haven't received a single contribution.

2) I've come up with much faster and better ways of doing graphics on the PocketPC. I am not willing to share these ideas and see them integrated in other libraries. Don't get me wrong, the whole point of PF was to share knowledge... But at this point I feel like I'm the only one sharing anything.

3) Support is taking a lot of time. There is a lot of people using PF right now, but I only have so much time to support a project that is not giving me anything (knowledge, money or otherwise).

Is PocketFrog dead? No. It isn't. A much better graphic library will probably be released soon. I can't talk more about it for now.

I will also probably convert PocketFrog's license to LGPL if people want it, so let me know what you think. I would have no problem having someone else take over the code base.

Please continue to post your questions or any concerns you might have!

Thierry

I think many developers are curious if your new graphics library will be designed to have a similar interface as PocketFrog, so they can port their existing PocketFrog code to the new library. If not, getting developers to keep using PocketFrog could prove to be a difficult task.

Also, I am curious to why you put so much time into developing PocketFrog. And why you are prepared to put so much time in creating a new library. My reason for creating GapiDraw was simply that we use the platform ourselves to create games and research prototypes. I also have the opportunity to work on the platform during work hours. If I myself did not have any use of the platform I created I guess it would be very hard for me to get motivated.

Finally, doesn't LGPL require developers to ship a copy of PocketFrog with every game they release? I don't remember, since I generally don't like the GPL licensing at all, so I could be wrong...

Anyways, best of luck with the new platform!

/Johan

Well, I'm sorry to hear about the status of PocketFrog (I guess saying it's dead isn't accurate, but it sounds like it's kind of close). Anyway, on the issue of licenses, I'm not particularly familiar with either, but I can say I like the way you currently license it, for whatever that's worth. As long as I'm not obligated to give out my source I don't have a preference(and I WOULD give out my source after what I'm selling isn't especially profitable any more, as a matter of fact I'm preparing to release source for Electro and Eliminator shortly... that seems relatively fair to me).

Did you get the RAW extensions I sent you some months ago? I admit they weren't especially good, maybe not even worthy of being included, I only ask because maybe it will change your mind about PF to remember that I at least tried to contribute!

I've looked at all the major libraries that I am aware of and I like PF the best by far, for no other reason than it strikes me as being simpler to use than the rest. I don't want to fight a library when writing a game (I fought with my own before deciding using someone else' is the better approach), and PF just feels comfortable to use, for the most part. I would be quite disappointed to see you drop development on it.

"I've looked at all the major libraries that I am aware of and I like PF the best by far, for no other reason than it strikes me as being simpler to use than the rest. I don't want to fight a library when writing a game (I fought with my own before deciding using someone else' is the better approach), and PF just feels comfortable to use, for the most part. I would be quite disappointed to see you drop development on it."

Damn, this guy compiled my thoughts flawless!