Update: 26 and learning

Hi anyone who still checks this blog, I now I have not updated for a long time. I moved to Jerusalem with my family, had a lot of work to do at my full time job and my son started kindergarden. Alot has changed since I first started Screens is 2001. Screens is not dead, actually on the contrary... I never stopped working on Screens and have in fact tested a few of my ideas at work and they have worked really well. I am very happy with the component object model and do plan to start writing code again. I don't have my lifedrive anymore but the code should be usefull no matter where it runs. Once I start getting into coding again specifically for Screens I will update you and write some editorials... I have alot of them down the pipeline, so keep tuned... Zakai Hamilton

Random Thoughts

1. Don't rely on a compiler extension when doing platform indepedent code

You will never know when your code will hit a compiler you did not anticipate. Keep it cleanand simpleand don't try to be smart. Consistency is key in writing alot of components. Avoid using tricks because their value will decrease over time because you will lose track of the tricks you used.

2. Using a 'better' language (C++, C#) will not reduce the real complexity which is the number of components you need to write and thier dependencies and relationships.

3. Consistency in API function and component naming is sometimes more important than the implementation itself since the implementation can be refactored while an API mostly cannot be changed.

Just a few things that come to mind when writing code for Screens. I am still active on the project and spend between 1-2 hours a day on Screens now thanks to my HP Mini-Note 2133.

I have not got to the graphics code just yet, but I am very close to try it out.

Why is Screens is taking so long?

Screens Environment has been going since 2002 and still no releases have made the light of day. There is a single reason why Screens has taken so long and why I have no idea when it will be released. Its not because I lack time or interest. Its because of the object storage.

If you look at the object oriented OS projects, none of them have made mainstream because they are not practical enough, too complex, too slow and still stuck in a concept. There are many companies trying to bring object oriented concepts to file systems just like me and just like me are still stuck.

If I was not making the object storage, I would of finished Screens long ago but then again the object storage is such a radical change that Screens would not be the same without it. In fact, the object storage would be the main difference between Screens and other middleware platforms.

I need luck, time and persistence to find a combination that works.

Component Oriented Programming

The difference between component oriented programming and object oriented programming is focus. In object oriented programming the focus is the objects themselves which is why you access methods through objects like this:

CoreObject * object = new CoreObject;

object->rename("My Object");

In component oriented programming the focus is the components and objects are just placeholders for instances like this:

CoreObject * object = CoreObjectNew();

CoreObjectRename(object, "My Object");

It looks like procedural programming but the difference is that it uses objects. One of the reasons object oriented programming has never able to become a file system is because when objects are created, they are stuck in stone in their definition. While their properties can be modified, you cannot add/remove properties. In component oriented programming, an object is just a placeholder where you attach/detach components to objects. Each component has a data definition associated with it. Because of this, when you attach an object to a component, you attach private data of the component to the object. Each component only accesses its private data per object and does not read or write another component data directly but rather uses the API provided by the other components.

That is component oriented programming in a nutshell.

Twitter

I am going to try and use twitter for quicker updates on development and keep the blog for more milestones and other news, follow me at http://twitter.com/zhamilton1 for some live development updates on how code is the Screens code is evolving and the issues I face daily.

New Born Baby Girl

Hi Everyone, Sorry for the lack of updates, I was at my wifes parents house for the last 3 weeks, so not only could I not do any coding but internet access was not as spiffy. My wife had birth to our new baby girl at 22:25 last night (monday night) weighing 3.780 kg in her 41st pregnancy week. The baby is beautiful (but then again, I am biased) and is healthy and doing very well. This is my second child with a nearly two year old boy and a less than 1 day old girl, I am a complete family. Oh and we have a dog and two cats, just keep the mix. Screens Environment will resume in code when I return home, but I am having been writing ideas and comments on my iPod touch. Because Screens Environment is multi-platform, the actual interaction I have to do with PalmOS is minimal at the moment.