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From: ckindel@cs.arizona.edu (Charles E. Kindel, Jr. [Tigger])
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Windows-the interface that may never happen...
Summary: Notes from a Windows 3.0 developer...and fan!
Message-ID: <318@caslon.cs.arizona.edu>
Date: 7 Jun 90 07:36:07 GMT
References: <4ad6ea11.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>
Followup-To: comp.windows.ms
Distribution: usa
Organization: Kindlco Software Systems [KiSS]
Lines: 78

In article <4ad6ea11.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>, nelson_p@apollo.HP.COM (Peter Nelson) writes:
> From: doerschu@rex.cs.tulane.edu (David Doerschuk)
> 
> >>          Until MicroSoft offers libraries for the masses, nothing will
> >>change.  Currently, if I want to develop software, I have to spend
> >>hundreds.  I bought Quick C  1.01 for $52 new, the upgrade for $45, why
> >>not libraries for windows at $80?
> >>-bryon lape-
> >
> >I couldn't agree more.  MS wants an absurd amount of money for the
> >libraries.  I would have thought that the relative lack of support
> >from 3rd party software vendors for a now mature (no flames, please!...
[deleted]
> >things.  Bryon Lape has, IMHO, hit the nail on the head:  why not an
> >$80 development system?
> 
>   Is this the reason why products written for Windows seem to 
>   be so expensive?  
[stuff deleted]
>  
>   I have no idea what the Windows API looks like but it seems if it
>   were properly designed it should make it EASIER (hence cheaper)
>   to write applications.  Bill Gates didn't get rich by being stupid,
>  


I've been following this thread with interest...but I had to finally butt in.

I have been developing Windows apps for about 1.5 years now.  I love it.  The
API is rich and powerful and well designed.  Inter application communication
(DDE), multi-tasking, true GUI, and support for DOS apps are a few reasons I
like it.  

Yes, development tools for Windows are expensive.  There is good reason.  The
complexity of an API such as Windows (or PM for that matter) is such that it
is nearly impossible to produce a professional development system inexpensively.
There are tools comming out that will make it possible for small developers to
afford to write in Windows.  They will take a bit of time to surface, but they
will come (much as TurboPascal and TurboC did).  Microsoft could probably 
sell the _libraries_ from the Windows SDK for about $80, but what about the
three volumes of documentation, resource editing tools, and special CodeView
for Windows debugger?  Would you be happy with some libraries and maybe 
an online help system?  Maybe for writing DOS apps, but not for Windows!

"Bill Gates didn't get rich by being stupid..."  Nope, he sure didn't!  It is
important to remember that Mr. Bill has been advocating Windows since 1983.
He begged developers to develop for Windows...but nobody listend, and maybe
it was just as well...but _now_ we have Windows 3.0!  

For those of you who haven't seen or used Windows 3.0 here are some things to
"push you over the fence"...

Today Microsoft announced that it has sold over 100,000 copies of Windows 3.0
plu"Several hundred thousand" upgrades to 3.0 since May 22.  People, that
is an awful lot of copies!  This is no fluke, Windows is going to be big...
real big!

All the big boys have finally announced commitment to Windows.  Lotus, Word
Perfect, Ashton Tate, ect...

The small boys are there too.  Check out the MSWIN forum on CompuServe for
all the shareware that's available...  Also check out the 50,000+ messages
posted there in the last week and a half!

One last note on the expense of the development tools.  I saved my money for 
the SDK and C5.1 last spring as a _student_.  If you really want to get into
it, you can.  But no one _ever_ said that developing for a GUI was easy.
Plan for about 3-6 months before you are productive...then be prepared to
be a programmer in demand.

Charles Kindel
President, Kindlco Software Systems
CIS PPN 71551,1445 

-- 
// ckindel@cs.arizona.edu                   CompuServe: 71551,1445 
//       Charles E. Kindel, Jr.  (Kindlco Software Systems)       
// 4225 N. First Ave, Suite 1315, Tucson, AZ, 85719, (602) 887-3359