[fpc-pascal] releasing commercial components as PPU files

[Marco van de Voort]

In our previous episode, Graeme Geldenhuys said:
> Could this work with FPC too? Can I release commercial components as PPU
> files for say FPC 2.6.0  (knowing that those PPU's will not work with
> any other version of FPC).

(and one set per target)

> The only supported compilers will be the officially released versions.
> 
> My concern are platforms like Linux, FreeBSD, where the official release
> is often is source code format. Would it matter if they compile there
> own FPC 2.6.0 release, and would my PPU's still work in that case?

I've been thinking about this, since the discussion with the TMS grid guy
(Bruno F.) on the Lazarus Day. He was interested because of trial versions
btw, rather than cheap licenses.

I think it would work in principle. Package built systems are harder though,
one doesn't know if they are built with -Ur.

Missing that parameter could mean that a later minor revision of a package (say package
2.6.0-1) has later build dates and will force recompilations.

> Side note:
> Personally I'm not a fan of buying components without source code, but
> sometimes developers are on a shoestring budget, so buying the cheaper
> (without source code) version is good enough. I would like to cater for
> those developers too - if possible.

I have doubts this is all worthwhile. Compared to delphi, versions and
targets significalty increase, thus support burden increases (and by that I
mean of the binary packaging of the release, not the product) while usage/revenue
numbers are nowhere comparable.

The slow refresh of Linux distro's is another problem.

But we'll never know till sb simply tries I guess.