New blog entry about our platform model

[MZ per X]

I've written a new blog entry about our platform model and would appreciate some proof-reading before I start translating it to German. Anyone, please?

[Ultyzarus]

It reads well It will be quite interesting to view the way info are displayed for "game releases for" vs "game compatible with", as both are important yet shouldn't be mixed up together.

[MZ per X]

Glad you like it.

Agree to the fact that the two cases "published for" and "runs also on" shouldn't be mixed to begin with, but should be available as a user option. In a game's rap sheet, there will be the RG's for it shown, and optionally the GE's with which the respective RG is compatible with. Or a user looks at a game list for a certain GE, we should provide a switch to include the compatible games, too.

[gene]

Great work!

Here are my usual (mostly minor ar additive) comments:

• we should add informational web links (wikipedia?) for some words, e.g. "CP/M" or "DEC PDP". Would be helpful for me, too
• you write about a "more complex platform model". I don't think that we should stress that it is more complex, we shoud stress that it will be more appropriate or suitable or something similar. I guess you get my point.
• I always think that some "pictures" would make the whole text more readable. E.g. we could insert a "three layer diagram" or something similar to illustrate the (many) words.
• I would love to see an example of GEs for Amiga computers / operating systems!
• it would be great if we could get this section of our database up and running soon!

[idrougge]

The "Built-in OS" label, even if is never shown, is in many cases simply untruthful.

[MZ per X]

we should add informational web links (wikipedia?) for some words, e.g. "CP/M" or "DEC PDP". Would be helpful for me, too

I always think that some "pictures" would make the whole text more readable. E.g. we could insert a "three layer diagram" or something similar to illustrate the (many) words.

Yeah, I will do the linking and beautifying once the text is finished.

you write about a "more complex platform model". I don't think that we should stress that it is more complex, we shoud stress that it will be more appropriate or suitable or something similar. I guess you get my point.

Agreed, and fixed.

I would love to see an example of GEs for Amiga computers / operating systems!

The "Built-in OS" label, even if is never shown, is in many cases simply untruthful.

You are both right. I will re-think and strongly expand my examples, adding Amiga in the process. Please stay tuned!

it would be great if we could get this section of our database up and running soon!

That would be nice! But for a start, we don't need the whole model, but just the first layer of data. With the GE's implemented (even without HWP and SWP), we can create RG's for games which is enough for a first version.

[gene]

Wow, this is gonna be the longest blog post we ever had!

[MZ per X]

Oh yes, this post will be longish. But there's much to say about platforms, and I want to thoroughly discuss some of the core platforms before we go live.

[gene]

Wow

[MZ per X]

Getting close to the end of my writing. Then I will do the linking, and probably add some explanatory graphics, too.

I thought about splitting this up into a series of smaller blog posts. But heck, if somebody's interested in the issue, he/she will read the long post. And people not interested in platforms won't read the smaller posts, either.

[MZ per X]

So this took longer than expected, due to illness and serious time constraints, but the writing and links are finished. Please give it a good read, and some serious thought. I would like to publish this soon, maybe I can even motivate myself to do some additional graphics to further visualize some issues.

[gene]

Will take a bit of time to read it carefully.
We should also absolutely take the time to insert some illistrations to make our thoughts clear to the reader.
This is the most comprehensive blog post so far and it should be perfect

What's the (time) plan for the German translation? We should publish both languages simultaneously.

[MZ per X]

We should also absolutely take the time to insert some illistrations to make our thoughts clear to the reader. This is the most comprehensive blog post so far and it should be perfect

You're probably right. Will do that, then.

What's the (time) plan for the German translation? We should publish both languages simultaneously.

Honestly, I'm currently not in the mood to rewrite this monster in German. If nobody else steps up for a translation, it will have to wait till January/February. And I think we shouldn't hold back the English version this long.

[MZ per X]

So I added all the graphics that I deemed necessary. Suggestions for improvements appreciated.

Should we insert some nice, releated Wiki Commons photos into the examples?

[MZ per X]

The blog entry is finished, regardless of whether we will do it as described there later on or not.

I will publish it soon, if you encounter any error, we can still correct it on the blog.