Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Re: Why is it Called MacBird?
Author: Dave Winer Posted: 11/17/1999; 5:41:05 AM Topic: Why is it Called Manila? Msg #: 13137 (In response to 13136) Prev/Next: 13136 / 13139
Blackbird was the codename for a GUI design tool to build networked apps, something like AOL's Rainman, but it got canned when HTML/HTTP took off. This was the 1995 timeframe when MS wasn't sure the Internet and web lifestyle were everything. It was actually a pretty good app, esp since AOL didn't have a GUI design tool for Rainman. (We were talking with AOL about licensing MacBird, but it was very difficult keeping them focused on the idea.)Oh MacBird. When I was working on surveys.userland.com, it struck me that I could do one of the MacBird demo cards, the Are You Naked? app. That was about two orders of magnitude more complex than the surveys code, which was mind-numbingly complex. Look at how much we've lost. MacBird looks like a masterpiece compared to using the web browser as a UI environment.
Then watching the flailing of Red Hat, I couldn't help think that MacBird might be the cure to their ills. Does Linux want a HyperCard? Something to open it up to graphics people. Wes's comment on Hack The Planet about a strategy beyond throwing money at KDE and Gnome also sparked some thoughts.
I wonder if now isn't the time to release the source for MacBird? The only way it would be worth doing is if there were a developer community that would form around it. The only thing that's comparable is Tcl's UI builder, but I don't think they have a wizzy design app.
I'm just thinking out loud. ";->"
Life is strange
BTW, a disturbing thing, last week I went to Netscape.Com and a popup window tried to sell me on using AOL's client.
Talk about the web selling out! There's Netscape trying to convert me *away* from the web.
Life Is Strange™
Dave
PS: In 1996, Brent put up a MacBird site if people want to check it out.
There are responses to this message:
- Re: Why is it Called MacBird?, Fredrik Lundh, 11/18/1999; 4:50:55 AM
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