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No plans for a Mac or Linux version
I was reading Brett Legree's 6 Weeks site and followed a link to Q10 because it sounded interesting.
Imagine my surprise when the first text to hit my eyes was this:
Q10 runs under Windows. No version for Linux or Mac is planned.
Ehh? Folks don't usually go out of their way to tell you what their product WON'T run on, do they? I suspect some hard feelings here, maybe somone who has been mishandled by a few Linux or Mac Fanboys?
Or maybe (and wouldn't this be ironic) the developers are tired of hearing requests for Linux and Mac versions?
Well, whatever: this product is for Windows only and they want to be darn sure we Unixy cretins know that. So don't bug us about it, okay, because NO OTHER VERSION IS PLANNED.
Yeah, yeah, Linux and Mac market share are growing by leaps and bounds, but NO VERSION IS PLANNED. Got it? Yes, we know Vista sucks, even Microsoft execs know that, but you just aren't listening: NO LINUX OR MAC VERSION IS PLANNED.
Well, sure, yes, it is a free product so we really would have nothing to lose and everything to gain by suggesting that someone else might want to use that source and hack out a better.. I mean "diffferent" version, but sheesh, we can't do that because NO VERSION IS PLANNED.
And yes, we could do it ourselves, we know it isn't that hard, but we aren't going to dirty ourselves like that. Windows is Pure, and Mac and Linux are all yucky and demeaning and that's why NO VERSION IS PLANNED.
So: download our Windows version and run it under emulation if that's what you need to do because (and I'm only going to say this one more time) NO LINUX OR MAC VERSION IS PLANNED.
OK? Are we all on the same page now? Windows version, yes, Linux or Mac version, no.
It's really very simple..
Why are you all starting up your email? No, you are not going to send email requesting a Linux or Mac version, are you? It's not going to do any good - I already told you, NO VERSION IS PLANNED.
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Sat Apr 19 23:41:54 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
Tony,
I love it! I'm laughing out loud after reading this, because as you know there's no love lost between me and Microsoft today... ;)
Thanks for this... I needed it!
Sun Apr 20 01:22:03 2008: CraigAgain
I guess this is kind of a moot point, but the thing loaded and ran flawlessly under Wine. 'Looks like an interesting program if you're doing creative writing.
Sun Apr 20 01:24:01 2008: Jeff
Screw their micro$oft loving attitude. Q10 works fine in Linux under WINE.
Sun Apr 20 01:27:09 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
@ CraigAgain & Jeff,
Thanks for sharing that information, good to know. I suspected it would run but hadn't made the time to try it under WINE.
Sun Apr 20 02:46:32 2008: BrunoMiguel
http://conversasdobruno.webtuga.net
Why don't you try PyRoom? It doesn't have all those features, but its an excelent distractions-free text editor.
Sun Apr 20 02:48:56 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
BrunoMiguel - thanks for pointing out PyRoom, that looks interesting!
Sun Apr 20 10:46:50 2008: anonymous
One question, ...Is a Linux or Mac version planned?
Sun Apr 20 10:49:52 2008: JonR
I've seen the same -- what should I call it -- alert? Anti-promise? Boast? -- in connection with several products, and received it by email in some cases where I was left to wonder.
My response is, "No use by me is planned." These developers live in a different world from mine, which is MS-free. I would not want to use their product, under emulation or otherwise. If I needed it for business, the story would be different; but I'd still try to find a way to use some other, user-friendly product.
Sun Apr 20 10:51:13 2008: TonyLawrence
One question, ...Is a Linux or Mac version planned?
I'm not sure.. it would seem to be a smart thing to do, wouldn't it?
Lemme check the site.. wait a second...
(clickety-click)
OK, I checked: NO LINUX OR MAC VERSION IS PLANNED.
Sun Apr 20 10:58:04 2008: TonyLawrence
No use by me is planned
I liked Drag's comment at another post here ( http://aplawrence.com/Blog/B1203.html )
Somebody had said they had written thousands of applications but never felt the need to write a Linux app. Drag's response:
"as a Linux user for about 8 years I'd have to say that under no circumstances have I ever felt the need to use any of your applications."
:-)
Mon Apr 21 06:13:50 2008: drag
Hehe.
One thing that I've found lately is vimoutliner. This seems like a appropriate place to mention it.
It's not so much a editor as a writer's tool. It can be used to outline anything. Took me to realise what the heck they were talking about when talking about a 'outliner'. Sounded like a bizzare concept and they were not really doing a good job of explaining themselves so it seemed like it was going to be very complicated to learn to use.
http://www.troubleshooters.com/tpromag/199911/199911.htm
So after that I decided it was my 'Learn Something New Day' so I sat down and mucked around with it until I figured out the shortcuts. Then I *got* it.
It's just for outlines. Like they taught me in grade school and I never bothered to use for anything, ever. Amazing how something so simple can be so useful.
Mon Apr 21 23:40:07 2008: Neo
good. i won't use it then. i'm grateful that the Q10 folks let me know in advance so i wouldn't waste my time, after all, i'm sooo (insert extreme sarcasm here) short on Linux word processors these days. snicker. ((::
Mon Apr 21 23:45:02 2008: TonyLawrence
Ah, yes, the shortage of word processors is a problem. And of course shortages create high prices, too - another well known problem with Linux software..
Mon Apr 21 23:52:47 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
LOL this one really has legs, Tony! Should forward the comments section to the Q10 people.
Of course, they'll tell you that no version for Linux or Mac is planned... ;)
-Brett
Tue Apr 22 00:03:45 2008: Ubersoldat
I don't get this "trend" of "full screen" editors... I mean, Dark whatever, q10. They all seem, well, stupid. Ok wait, I know now, Apple has that other dumb full screen editor so the so called writers can focus on, yes, writing. What a stupid idea! What a waste of human resources! Full screen editors have been here since ages (computer ages) like, let's see, vim? emacs? anyone has ever heard of any of this? Oh! And you know what's even more stupid, downloading a miserable closed source "Windows Only because we're dumb" application, run it with Wine when pressing Ctrl+Alt+F1 will give you a FULL SCREEN EVERYTHING!
Tue Apr 22 01:15:41 2008: dale
Another editor...outliner :o What can I say? If it won't run native 'nix' I guess I don't need it.
Tue Apr 22 02:09:52 2008: Duane
http://lolmoth.wordpress.com
Let's email bomb them at their contact address, q10@baara.com
I'll start off by asking them if they plan to develop a Linux version...
They deserve this kind of harassment when they have a big bullet point that says, "Free. Q10 is, and will be, freeware. Period." What's free about needing a for-profit non-free OS to run your software? Do they mean to say, "Once you've shelled out the dough for an OS from the ONE company that will sell it to you, there is no additional cost" or something like that?
Tue Apr 22 03:46:37 2008: anonymous
Sure there is a Q10 for Linux. Here's how you do it. Exit X Windows (control-alt-F2/F3/etc should do it). Login to the text mode terminal. Type "vi mybook.txt", you will now be presented with a full screen text editor. If you want a simpler editor, you can replace "vi" with "nano". Enjoy!
Tue Apr 22 03:50:58 2008: cynicalconspiracyguy
Might I suggest to people considering running this under Wine that you abstain. If there is a type of software I trust the least, it is these types of "freeware" Windows throwaway applications. I would not be surprised in the least to find out that once you entered 50 pages worth of text that it emails the company an encrypted copy of it.
Tue Apr 22 04:24:05 2008: CalebCushing
http://xenoterracide.blogspot.com
So? so what if they don't offer a Linux, Mac, Unix, or BSD version. It's windows that doesn't have good editors installed by default. The *nix's have a plethora of robust editor's and IDE's to choose from (many of which have religious followings). They just don't want to attempt to compete in a market they would have not chance in.
Tue Apr 22 06:49:33 2008: anonymous
First of all WTF is Q10? Nivea commercial? Coenzyme?
Who cares if they make *nix version at all...
And BTW, what about ReactOS vesion? :)
Tue Apr 22 08:27:03 2008: anonymous
You know, they probably stuck that sentence on there because of people asking for a Linux version. And now that they've stuck it on there, you all want to complain some more! I guess there's no winning.
Can't you guys see how absurd you are? I love Linux and all, but come on.
Tue Apr 22 08:32:13 2008: anonymous
@Duane
What's free about needing for-profit non-free hardware to run your software?
I think your logic needs some work. With your logic, even Linux isn't free since it runs on non-free hardware.
I guess it's time to open source hardware. Good luck with that.
Tue Apr 22 10:56:34 2008: TonyLawrence
You know, they probably stuck that sentence on there because of people asking for a Linux version.
Maybe. And if they did, you don't find that a bit ironic?
Who cares if they make *nix version at all...
We don't care. It's just absurd to come out and mention NO LINUX OR MAC VERSION PLANNED
:-)
Tue Apr 22 12:59:13 2008: Ali
Seems a bit harsh this article does, a quick look at the site reveals it's just a lone developer working on a pet project in his spare time.
No wonder he can't be bothered to write a version for Linux or Mac if this is the stick he gets.
I'd suggest you just use one of the many perfectly acceptable text editors that do work on Linux, rather than aimlessly bashing people.
Tue Apr 22 14:19:08 2008: TonyLawrence
Seems a bit harsh this article does
Sigh. There's always someone who misreads intent, isn't there?
I DO use vi - that's what's very page on this website was written in. And there's no harshness here: we're just poking a little fun at someone who goes out of his way to mention two other OSes.
Nothing harsh, no animosity.. just having some fun.
Tue Apr 22 16:39:45 2008: anonymous
@TonyLawrence
I think you need to look up the definition of ironic. And it's not absurd to mention that no other versions are planned if people keep repeatedly asking for it.
Tue Apr 22 16:42:03 2008: anonymous
@TonyLawrence
No animosity? On the Internet, all caps is basically equivalent to yelling. All caps lowers the age of the poster by about 10 years
Tue Apr 22 17:03:48 2008: TonyLawrence
And it's not absurd to mention that no other versions are planned if people keep repeatedly asking for it.
Well, we don't know that people have asked, do we? That might be why.. but if so, it *is* ironic, assuming that the intent of the author is to provide something people want..
All caps lowers the age of the poster by about 10 years
Oh good. It's nice to be fifty again.
Folks: lighten up. This is a light, semi-satirical piece. It's not meant to get anyone angry, it's not meant to attack the poor author of Q10. Maybe he'd like to write a Linux version but just doesn't know how. Or maybe he just detests Linux and Mac. Whatever: I don't really care what his reasons are - I simply was amused that he felt he needed to say this so prominently!
In other words, calm down. This isn't worth getting all fumed up over..
Sheesh :-)
Tue Apr 22 19:06:21 2008: anonymous
OK, let me mention the obvious. Since the Q10 author wants a graphical full screen display, how about using SDL? (Simple DirectMedia Layer, http://www.libsdl.org/) SDL knows how to talk to *nix graphics, MSFT's DirectX, Mac, and a whole plethora of other platforms, including palmtops and smart phones.
He could go from "No Linux or Mac" to "supports everything".
Of course, raw SDL is sort of light on GUI handholding mechanisms, but there are SDL libraries that add support for that. Personally, I prefer the Python wrapper for SDL, PyGame ( http://www.pygame.org/)
Tue Apr 22 19:18:40 2008: TonyLawrence
You bring up a good point, and people should be looking for "supports everything" whenever they set out to develop.
However, if you are already accustomed to a specific platform, it can be hard to unlearn your habits, and if you are planning on providing support, multiplatform makes it that much more difficult.
Wed Apr 23 13:06:00 2008: BigDumbDinosaur
http://bcstechnology.net
What's wrong with vi? Who needs Q10? It's probably yet another VB program that runs as slow as 90-weight gear oil in January.
Sun Apr 27 17:06:27 2008: anonymous
Plenty of mac and linux programs have no window version plans, so what's the big deal? It's like a religion to you.
Sun Apr 27 17:20:19 2008: TonyLawrence
Plenty of mac and linux programs have no window version plans, so what's the big deal?
THERE IS NO BIG DEAL.
Sheesh - isn't it obvious that we are just having some fun here? Are you so humorless that you can't see that?
Sun Apr 27 18:27:32 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
Tony,
You know how it is, you can't have a good "OS religion war" without everyone taking you seriously... all operating systems suck, some suck more than others, they just let you (hopefully) do your work... :)
-Brett
Sun Apr 27 18:35:54 2008: TonyLawrence
Well, I can get pretty nasty about Windows - I think they have done a lot of crappy programming - but I would have thought it was obvious that this piece is just poking a little fun - the guy has every right to do whatever the heck he wants..
Sun Apr 27 18:55:59 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
Oh, I agree with you there... had I a penny for everything that Windows has done to me, personally - I'd be richer than Mr. Gates himself.
Tue May 6 03:12:59 2008: RyanDunn
So, I tried running this in WINE and on the first shot it didn't work. Is there a setting in WINE to get this to work? I'm running Ubuntu Gutsy with wine 0.9.46.
Thu May 29 18:30:28 2008: gordebak
There is TextRoom ( http://code.google.com/p/textroom) similar to Q10, and it is cross-platform.
Thu May 29 23:12:34 2008: BrettLegree
http://6weeks.ca
TextRoom looks really nice - thank you!
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