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                       ROAD MAP FOR WABA ON SOURCEFORGE
                       ================================

History of this document
------------------------

2001.02.27 First draft of the roadmap.
2001.03.05 Minor corrections.
2001.03.06 Corrections after the feed-back of Isao.
2001.03.29 Adding "Bridge for Java" projected work.

Authors
-------

Olivier Bornet, Olivier.Bornet@smartdata.ch, SMARTDATA SA
Pascal Bauermeister, Pascal.Bauermeister@smartdata.ch, SMARTDATA SA

Introduction
------------

This roadmap will define the evolution of the Waba project on
SourceForge. It will change frequently along the project. The last
version can allways be found on the official main site
http://waba.sourceforge.net/waba-roadmap.txt and in the CVS tree on
SourceForge http://sourceforge.net/cvs/?group_id=7961.

Of course, the authors of each port of the VM, each new classes, each
correction/addition, can contact us. Don't hesitate to send us
correction or addition to make in in this document.

This roadmap is our vision of Waba. It can be wrong, but we hope
not. It's not because some classes or visions are not described here
that they are bad things. So, send us informations for points you
things we must be informed.

Our vision of Waba (and main goal)
----------------------------------

0. Open Source.

Before all other points, we strongly believe the Open Source model is
necessary for this kind of project.

1. Portability.

For us, the first propertie of the Waba VM is portability. No matter
on which platform, on which operating system or on which
implementation of the Waba API, an application written in Waba _must_
run. This is the very first consideration.

2. Small and fast.

The Waba VM is designed for running on small devices with limited
ressources. It's very important to use a minimal amount of memory and
to run on CPU with very few mips.

This are the main points, and http://waba.sourceforge.net/ will
allways conforme to them.

Evolution until version 2.0 of the API
--------------------------------------

1.5 development version. This will be the "official version" number
    until all examples will run on Linux (and, of course on Palm and
    WinCE). Modifications in classes to allow the port of them to
    other VM, like the J9 of IBM will be done.

... Results of the first survey will be publish on usual places. We
    also publish the action we take in answer to the survey. Mainly,
    this will be this roadmap.

1.6 All existing examples runs on Linux, Palm and WinCE. This will be
    the 1st beta version on SourceForge, and no more an alpha
    version. Another news will be made on usual place, and maybe also
    on Freshmeat.

... Multi-Language Support. Possibility to display other language like
    french, Japanese Kanji Characters, and Russian Cyrilic Characters.

1.7 SuperWaba, WabaColor and Waba Extras are integrated in the
    CVS. This don't mean they are part of the standard API, but we can
    activate each part separatly as an option. The new class
    waba/io/SocketServer is implemented.

1.8 Alpha release of the final minimal 2.0 API. At this time we will
    have a first alpha version of the final 2.0 API. All classes are
    classified either on the standard API or in one of the extended
    optional API. Non-blocking IO are also implemented on Palm.

1.9 Beta release of the final minimal 2.0 API. Correction are made
    from the last revision and, if no big problem was found, the API
    is standardized.  The class waba/io/Catalog is also implemented on
    Linux and WinCE.

... Officialy define a responsible person for each port of the
    VM. Each responsible will be in charge for testing the VM on his
    platform.

2.0 First public release. The 2.0 API is standardized. Announce will be
    made on usual place, and on Freshmeat.

... A new survey will be put online. This survey will focus on the
    developers using waba as language, not like the first one where
    the focus was mainly on developers of the VM itself.

Projected works after the 2.0 API
---------------------------------

After 2.0 is released, we need to define a way for version
numbering. What I propose now is to use a two way version numbering,
like lot of OpenSource project. A (very) first proposition is to
change the numbering like the linux numbering : x.y.z where x is major
version (like change in the API), y is minor revision (like addition
new features) and z is bug fixes. In public releases, y is allways an
even number (0,2,4,6...). In development versions, y is allways odd
(1,3,5,...). For example, 2.0.x are first public releases, then 2.1.x
are developers version. When 2.1.x are stable, we release 2.2.0 for
the common world, and we start a 2.3.0 for the developers.

Among other thinks, the following items need to be placed in the
roadmap after the 2.0 API :

- implementation of a filesystem-like on Palm.

- possibility to load jar files.

- integration of newtow port.

- integration of other ports.

- integration of a native debugger support for users of the WABA API.

- port of the classes to J9, the VM of IBM.

- port of the classes to other VM.

- create bridge classes for permit the use of Waba programs in a Java
  environment.

Contact informations
--------------------

We put all informations we have about Waba on the main page
http://waba.sourceforge.net/. Please visit if you need more general
information.

To contact us, send an email to waba@smartdata.ch.

Happy Waba Programming !

                    Olivier Bornet, http://waba.sourceforge.net/

  © 2000-2001   Last Update: April 5, 2001