Joseba Aguayo made this very important request on the use-livecode list:

Please, add options. Not change the options until now.
The applications constructed now must be run OK in the new version 7.

LiveCode v7 will include some of the most sweeping changes we've seen in any engine build in many years.

We must all test it thoroughly.

If it's riddled with bugs it'll frustrate long-time users, hamper adoption among newcomers, and increase expenses for RunRev while it risks lowering their revenue with a bad reputation.

So we must be ABLE to test it.

If we're all spending time tracking down the inevitable cases where even an automated search-and-replace for "word" didn't update our code, we simply won't be able to spend enough time doing the sort of testing v7 will require.

Whether this is done through synonyms to assist the transition, or some other means, Joseba's post reminds us that it's absolutely critical that v7 maintain backward compatibility to allow thorough testing.

From the moment we run our stacks in v7, we must be able to assume that any issues we find with previously-working code are regression issues, not merely side-effects of new features.

As important as the new chunk type is, I believe it's far more important that the team remain keenly focused on delivering a v7 build that addresses unfortunately long-standing concerns of stability.

The goal of v7 is "Unicode: it just works". Keep to that mandate, and find some means of handling any deviation from that goal, even if it means postponement of this new chunk type.

For an engine change this big, backward compatibility with long-standing language tokens is an absolute must, at least for now.

--
 Richard Gaskin
 Fourth World
 LiveCode training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
 Webzine for LiveCode developers: http://www.LiveCodeJournal.com
 Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/FourthWorldSys

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