Re: Mobius system requirements

[Jeff Larson <Jeffrey.Larson@Sun.COM>]

Travis Hartnett wrote:
 > Just to clarify--is this an ongoing discussion on how to make a
 > non-licensed reverse-engineered version of the Loop software run on a
 > Windows machine?  On a mailing list hosted by one of the Loop
 > programmers?

Calling this "reverse engineered" is a bit of a stretch.  Loop is
written in some assembly language for a specific hardware platform.
Mobius is written in C++ for the Windows platform.  The source code is
not even remotely similar.  I read a manual and wrote a completely
different thing that outwardly behaves in a similar way, and in
several respects is better.  There is no law against this, and
claiming some kind of copyright infringement is going to be difficult
(not that the Loop developers would do this, they seem like perfectly
reasonable people).

I am certainly indebted to everyone involved with the development of
EDP/Loop.  I used their ideas, and I thank them for that.  But there
is a huge difference between an idea and an implementation of that
idea.  I had been writing a looper for my own use and just stumbled
upon Looper's Delight about a year ago.  Andre made a comment that he
thought no one would ever be able to write a software version of the
EDP, and I took that as a challenge.  I have been a professional
software developer for 25 years, and this is the hardest thing
I have ever done.

I'm not trying to compete with the EDP, though I suppose it will to
some small degree.  Anyone that understands software marketing will
realize that this is an incredibly small niche market.  There is no
significant amount of money to be made here.  But it is a market with
a need that no one else seemed to be filling.

I'm sorry if the Loop developers take offense at this.  As the saying
goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  I did this
to teach myself about looping, and I wanted to start with the best.
Since this is a list about looping in general, I thought it would
be ok to announce it here, though I recognize how some might
find it awkward.

I have set up a Yahoo group:

    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zonemobius/

While I don't care where people post, it is probably best if we move
Mobius discussion over there.  I would like to thank everyone
who has expressed interest in Mobius.  I thank Matthias, Eric, Andy
and everyone else involved with Loop.  And I especially thank Kim
for hosting this site.  If anyone feels like sending me money for
Mobius, I would ask that you first consider contributing to
Looper's Delight.  Mobius would never have happened without it.

Regards,
Jeff