Other It's time to grow

Erel · Jan 22, 2020

I’m very proud in the continuing progress of B4X tools. I’m also very proud to be part of this amazing developers community.

In the last couple of years, I have a growing feeling that B4X tools do not realize their potential. While there are all kinds of development tools, B4X offers a unique set of features: simple, powerful, mature, great community, RAD, native, cross platform and more.
B4X tools are an excellent choice for a wide range of real-world use cases.

So, the question is how to make B4X more popular? Obviously, it is not a simple nor a short-term task.
A clear growth barrier is the fact that unlike most development tools today, B4A and B4i are not free. This wasn’t the case 10 years ago.

The big announcement today is that B4A will become free in a few weeks. The framework - set of internal libraries, will be open sourced.

We will accept contributions for B4A like currently done with B4J.
We've also secured funds from a US investor who shares my vision of making B4X a popular development tool. These resources will allow us to further expand.

How can you help?

Help us spread the word about B4X.

NJDude · Jan 22, 2020

Those are good news.

This move have positive and negative consequences however, I like the idea of Open Source, in this community alone are many excellent developers who could expand and improve the product in short time as opposed to just Erel doing all the work, and that's a big plus, the negative side is fragmentation that comes along with open source projects as well as messy code.

I was an early adopter and big fan of B4A, I haven't done much lately but still B4X is a great product.

Ferbis · Jan 22, 2020

Good news Erel!!

May be in the next future will come a posibility to the comunity to invest too in some way in this big challenge.

Erel · Jan 22, 2020

Martin Larsen said:
Erel, do you have the same plans with B4i?

Not in the near future.

kisoft said:
So when can we expect the first free version?

Few weeks from now.

kisoft said:
Will you still work alone or will you work as a team?

I will continue to be the main developer. I will probably get some help with other aspects such as marketing.

TelKel81 · Jan 22, 2020

I bought the license a couple of days ago and it doesn't bother me at all. Well worth the price.
I'm sure your decision is a good move Erel, especially with secured funds. Also a good step to avoid being tossed aside by incoming competition -- cross-platform development MUST be the big thing right now.

Jorge M A · Jan 22, 2020

Personally, I have not published any Donationware, nor do I have any intention of doing so.
But what about all the colleagues who do have this scheme in effect?

LordZenzo · Jan 22, 2020

wow can i get a refund for my last purchase? (joke)
hopefully it will not end up linux with hundreds of versions that are often not fully compatible

Hamied Abou Hulaikah · Jan 22, 2020

Hi @Erel
Are you considering/planning to merge all IDEs in ONE IDE? this will be the BIGGGGGEST move

Erel · Jan 22, 2020

HAH said:
Are you considering/planning to merge all IDEs in ONE IDE? this will be the BIGGGGGEST move

I'm not sure that such change will be as significant as you describe. The 4 IDEs actually share 90% of the code between them and the IDE is small enough that it is not a big deal to have 4 copies of it.
It is also very simple to share code modules and alayouts between the projects.
There is no doubt that there will be advantages for a single IDE and it will probably happen at some point.

Peter Simpson · Jan 22, 2020

Erel said:
There is no doubt that there will be advantages for a single IDE and it will probably happen at some point.

Well, I never ever thought I would read that you would say that. 2 surprises in 1 day, what's going on Erel?
Have I been abducted my Aliens, am I currently being probed by them bringing on all sorts of hallucinations?
Is what you are saying today a good dream of mine, and when I finally wake up nothing has changed at all ?

Hey, what, err so many questions, but no answers lol ?

Star-Dust · Jan 22, 2020

Erel said:
It is a private investor.

Erel said:
This:

Changes to:

You could have said it before, that it's just a matter of removing a button.?

Multiverse app · Jan 22, 2020

This is such a huge and great decision.
B4X's core appeal has been the community for years. Open-sourcing this will take it to a whole new level.
Congratulations to @Erel and everyone that help shape these set of tools to what it is today.

Multiverse app · Jan 22, 2020

Syd Wright said:
Just to comment that to grow your business you will need to expand your team. Having been a one-man band all the time since you started has most likely hampered your growth. There are a number of experts in the forum that are good candidates to be placed on the payrole to support the technical developments and who can also assertain that B4x can go on if its founder is for whatever reason no longer available. However, the core discipline that needs to be expanded is the marketing and sales division.
So far B4x is not very visible on the Internet and thus there is the lack of awareness for the great possibility of your development tools.

Very true

kisoft · Jan 22, 2020

There is a chance to create new, paid, interesting and attractive libraries that will enrich application development. I think this is a good way to further develop the B4X environment.

andymc · Jan 22, 2020

This is great news! Well done @Erel
I've produced videos on developing games using B4A and advised people to get it when asked, but the price always puts people off. I think it's because they know they can get Android Studio, Unity, or Godot for free.
But now I can advise people to get B4A knowing there's a bigger chance they actually will. Building the community and improving the toolset. Congratulations.

Jmu5667 · Jan 22, 2020

Congrats @Erel !

Philip Chatzigeorgiadis · Jan 22, 2020

Jmu5667 said:
Congrats @Erel !

A bold and brave move!
Congratulations, Erel!

Roberto P. · Jan 22, 2020

I believe it is fair to pay for the software, examples and support we receive.
Erel will certainly have made his assessments and made his free decision.

I think that to make B4X even more popular, we need to accelerate the integration process between the B4A, B4J and B4I environments, which allows us to actually write a single code for Apple and Android. I also believe that object-oriented programming must be enhanced to have inheritance.
Finally, I believe that a significant push could derive from B4W (WEB), to enhance the development of Web and WebApp applications, which can be compiled with PhoneGap \ Cordova.

Thanks for everything

Cableguy · Jan 22, 2020

I feel like a parent who's son is moving out to start its own life...

Me, as well as a very few others, where already "here" before the BIG BANG occurred when Erel first announced B4A.
We have accompanied our litle child from birth, watch it crawl, take it's first steps, first day at school, and of course, all the growing pains.
Now it's all grown up, and ready to move out, and all I want to say is...

WHAT A GREAT JOB WE DID RAISING B4A!

May this new phase of B4A's life be one of fulfillment and wonder!
Long live Erel and B4A!

Computersmith64 · Jan 22, 2020

Awesome news @Erel! I personally have never had a problem paying the license fee, but I'm sure there are others who use B4A (or who would like to) that struggle to justify the cost. I guess one good marketing approach would be to emphasize how many B4A users there are & as uptake grows, keep pushing those numbers out so that others can see it's growing.

Good luck - I hope this decision ultimately gets B4A to where you want it to be.

- Colin.

wimpie3 · Jan 22, 2020

Not sure if the price is really a factor... I mean, it's not like Adobe or Microsoft give away their products either, while they do sell software that's widely used. I think there is no serious developer using B4A and not willing to pay for this product. But that's just my idea.

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