[CMake-Promote] CelEngine

[Brandon J. Van Every]

William A. Hoffman wrote:
> At 01:36 PM 8/29/2006, Brandon J. Van Every wrote:
>
>   
>> Good that they're doing CMake.  However, it is not a mature project, looks like they just got started in fact.  They seem to be pretty organized for having just got started though, so maybe it's based on some previous work.  I need to drill down to the details.  Then I need to ask why they're making yet-another-3D-engine instead of contributing to one that's already out there.  Also their licensing is combo GPL / Commercial, which I don't like.  I'm curious why they didn't opt for LGPL or BSD like most open source 3D engines do.
>>     
>
> I am just happy they are using CMake, and the wiki looks nice as well.   I don't think
> it is in CMake's interest to question a projects license or why they decided to do the project.
> The job of this list is to promote CMake, and any use of it should be applauded and
> encouraged.
>   

I suppose so.

But, it is in CMake's interest to evaluate the size and health of the 
customer, if someone like myself is going to step in there and offer 
real assistance with getting things working.  I'm willing to do that 
with G3D, as it's a large, extant, proven project that's converting from 
a home brewed Python build system.  I'm not willing to do that with 
CelEngine, as it's just barely on the drawing board.

As it turns out, CelEngine is not trying to be yet-another-3D-engine.  
It's trying to encapsulate content, using any old 3D engine as a 
plugin!  Rather ambitious goal.  I would go so far as to say foolhardy, 
and lacking a business model to justify the commercial part of the 
license, but we'll see what they do.  Ogre3D, a fairly popular open 
source 3D engine, is their initial plugin target.  I've raised some 
strategic questions in the CelEngine forum, like whether it would be 
better to just write a content system on top of Ogre and call it good.  
Maybe they'll think about it, and having thought of it, maybe they'll 
become a noteworthy project someday.

In any event, I'm sure they'll be clarifying their homepage, giving some 
real info on "What is CelEngine?"  Getting a CMake project - any CMake 
project - to have a better public faceplate is in CMake's interest, as 
then more people will download and try out the CMake project.  This kind 
of feedback is also easy to give.  Easy to afford in terms of my time.


Cheers,
Brandon Van Every

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