Let Rev's Light Shine...or Watch It Go Out

[Richard Gaskin]

Michael Young wrote:

> I know customers, who can barely operate a word processor, but they
> dictate the tool that the professional developer uses.

That's the focus of Geoff Moore's book "Crossing the Chasm", about how
successful software grows by understanding the different personality types
at play in different stages of growth.  Bean counters play an increasing
role as growth moves forward, and the supporting infrastructure (third-party
consultants, tools, books, magazine articles, etc.) indeed plays a key role
in shaping their perceptions.

The economics of books are complex and talked to death here last year.  Dan
Shafer's book is out now, and more will come of their own accord as a
natural by-product of other aspects of infrastructure growth.

The application gallery and consultants listing at runrev.com are both good
starts, but neither is easy to find at the site and the gallery has no
screen shots (critical in our arguably post-literate world).  I suspect the
prominence of both will be enhanced soon.

I'm as guilty as the next person for not posting my many plugins to
VersionTracker, etc., ironically a case where one of Rev's strengths plays
against itself:  other tools that have plugins don't also have a RevNet, so
the onlyway to distribute plugins for those is through Web sites and
download services.  RevNet is so much more convenient for both sender and
receiver, but happens ouside the public view.

But stepping back to view the bigger picture it seems things are quite
promising.  I won't join the doomsayers in suggesting that the technology
hinges on a logo in my About box (however flattering that may be).

Sure, here's always another feature to add and there will always be one more
customer for whom that feature is a deal-maker.

But don't forget that the product as it is today just got a four-star review
and a Mac Eddy award, and has been generating an entire economy of revenue
for its professional developers, their clients, and their end-users for many
years.

Revolution remains the most cost-effective way to deliver professional
quality applications for every major platform.  As long as it stays true to
that goal there's plenty of money floating around to keep it growing
indefinitely.

Heck, this thread got started by niggling over one line in an otherwise
four-star review.  That reviewer also wrote:

   All in all, no other software-development environment packs
   this much power and flexibility into such a simple package.
   You'll have to learn the Transcript language to make the most
   of Revolution, but the system is heroically well documented.
 
-- 
 Richard Gaskin 
 Fourth World Media Corporation
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