PageStream is a very powerful DTP application. However, the depth of
support is very limited, as evidenced by the considerable list of open
bugs, some of which are fundamental to the operation of the application.

What is the future of the development staff (team of 1?) of PGS?

How can this situation be improved?

Is open source a possible route?

I have been using PGS on an occasional basis for MANY years (Amiga,
and now Linux) and truly enjoy the power of the tool.

What can we, as a devoted, but occasionally frustrated user
community,m do, to help?

Well, you can pray that the ground dries!

Seriously, the problem this last year+ has been that I just can't work
on more than one computer at a time. I've got the new office painted,
and the shelves and tables waiting to be painted and assembled but no
room to do it inside and outside is a muddy mess.

Your problem (and mine) is that Linux (and Windows and Amiga) have
become second class citizens. I've fixed all kinds of bugs on the Mac
version and added a large number of new features but just don't have
them compiled and tested on the other platforms because all I can
reasonable get access to right now is this Mac laptop!

As far as PageStream development being a team of 1, it has pretty much
always been that way. I've hired a number of people through the years.
Some I've paid for years thinking they will become productive. Only one
person has every contributed to PageStream in a significant way (he took
over the Amiga libraries for a few years, and he did most of the work of
the classic Mac libraries, and he wrote BME) but he moved on to greener
pastures many many years ago. Others, well let me just say I wish I had
the hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries wasted. To be fair, we
had one other good programmers that worked on other projects but he was
(and is) a bit of a restless spirit and just keeps looking for greener
pasture.

With regard to the bug list (and the online documentation), simply using
and updated it is would be a huge help. The bug list itself is a bit
outdated, and duplicated at times. Some are ready to come off (problems
with revert document crashing comes to mind) but I can't test on the
reported platform because the update doesn't exist for that platform yet.

So, what bugs on the bugs list are bothering you?

Deron

> PageStream is a very powerful DTP application. However, the depth of
> support is very limited, as evidenced by the considerable list of open
> bugs, some of which are fundamental to the operation of the application.
>
> What is the future of the development staff (team of 1?) of PGS?
>
> How can this situation be improved?
>
> Is open source a possible route?
>
> I have been using PGS on an occasional basis for MANY years (Amiga,
> and now Linux) and truly enjoy the power of the tool.
>
> What can we, as a devoted, but occasionally frustrated user
> community,m do, to help?
>
>
>
>

--
Deron Kazmaier - support@pagestream.org
Grasshopper LLC Publishing -http://www.pagestream.org
PageStream DTP for Amiga, Linux, Macintosh, and Windows

chufarj wrote:
>
>
> PageStream is a very powerful DTP application. However, the depth of
> support is very limited, as evidenced by the considerable list of open
> bugs, some of which are fundamental to the operation of the application.
>
> What is the future of the development staff (team of 1?) of PGS?
>
> How can this situation be improved?
>
> Is open source a possible route?
>
> I have been using PGS on an occasional basis for MANY years (Amiga,
> and now Linux) and truly enjoy the power of the tool.
>
> What can we, as a devoted, but occasionally frustrated user
> community,m do, to help?
==============

I agree and wonder also about the future of PgS. I moved to it during
my Amiga days to use it quite extensively for my business needs as well
as an Amiga dealer. I turned several people on to the program and I
know we were all sad to see it's popularity die down when the Amiga went
belly up. But along came Linux and we had new hope, we thought. We all
realize all the hardships that have occurred lately for the developer,
so empathize with that. We also see Deron spreading himself thin over
several platforms, some of which seem to be a waste of his time.

I have trouble believing that the sale of PgS is providing adequate
financial support for him and his family, so it would seem making it
open source would be a reasonable answer. That way, Deron still keeps
complete control over the program or what might be added, much like the
Linux kernel, but it grows, gets bug fixes in a more timely manner and
it's popularity increases ten fold. He also finds new ways of making
money from the program. Many companies today do quite well offering
paid support for their open source programs! As the developer of
Pegasus, email program does, offering printed manuals for a charge might
very well add further income.

I would love to see PgS back on top! Linux is a very good avenue for
that to happen. With the present choices of DTP programs available, PgS
would not have a difficult time becoming the number one program on Linux
with either MacOS or Win following that. With it's adoption as such
comes many people/businesses needing/wanting support and/or printed
manuals as well. I can see some very good possibilities ahead for PgS,
if it were open sourced.

Regards,
Patrick

--
---Zenwalk v5.2--Linux 2.6.25---
Registered Linux User #225206
"Ever tried Zen computing?" http://www.zenwalk.org

Deron,

I meant no offense, so please, accept that it is nothing short of a
miracle that you can, and have single-handedly developed this complex
code for four platforms. As a fellow developer, I have sincere
appreciation for the challenges you must face and it is with this
empathy and understanding that I posted the original comment.

> Seriously, the problem this last year+ has been that I just can't
work on more than one computer at a time.

This is precisely the point. You are limited on staff (or hours in a
day) and hardware resources.

> ...because all I can reasonable get access to right now is this Mac
laptop!

This repeats my previous point. I am sure there are users who would
galdly compile, test, and document for free (I would do so for Linux,
AMD Athlon 64).

> With regard to the bug list (and the online documentation), simply
using and updating it is would be a huge help.

This is a responsibility that a PM or Analyst could fulfill. I know
you are wearing all hats, but some "are" falling on the floor...

> So, what bugs on the bugs list are bothering you?

My personal 'bugs' are
1) The Border FX window does not draw the border any more, and runs
VERY slowly to set colors. This did work flawlessy in earlier
versions (5.0.1.17?)

2) Printing on Linux...this has been an ongoing dilemma, I now just
always print to Postscript file, then print (kghostview) through kprinter.

3) Ruler "disappears" quite often; workaround a refresh is needed (I
go to next page then back a page)

These are probably minor in the scheme of things, and probably don't
deserve immediate attention as some others do.

The point is, we DO like the application, it is brilliant and offers
features and a unique interface, unlike others. After many years, I
still like PageStream and keep returning to my favorite when I need to
do some serious, precise and creative DTP work.

I believe myself and others would like to see critical mass behind it
so that:

1. changes and fixes are released (compiled and tested) often for our
platforms (all platforms, assuming you have customers on all)

2. issues are tracked (features, support, bugs) and maintained to be
current

3. documentation is updated (many references are to 4.x)

4. the application grows along with technology

5. plus other features that others would suggest

We ARE behind you and support you, and are not customers just
complaining, it would just be painful to see PGS go the way of Amiga
(I kinda had to let it go, it just isn't what it used to be).

I make my Home Video DVD disk covers with PageStream. 40 years from
now as I look at these, I will remember it was PageStream that I used.

Thanks for an incredible application and the experience!

I will stop the rain dances and hope it dries up a little your way.

; )

John