Nothing captures the imagination of a software developer quite like a
project of real consequence.  Something that can reach BEYOND our little
market niche or beyond our little data processing center... something
IMPORTANT.  We CRAVE a project that poses a REAL challenge, something that
we can devote ourselves to.  We have a subconscious  NEED to work on a
project larger than ourselves. 
 
Unfortunately, most of us (programmers) are backlogged with work to the
point that there is NO WAY  we could dig ourselves out in a million years. 
We have an endless supply of trivial little  projects demanding a piece of
our lives. Project A needs a modification to allow dates beyond the year
2000. Project B needs a  modification to allow more than 4000 stores.  Dad
needs a program to  auto-reorder inventory, and I need a good 3D rotate
algorithm. We have any of a number of trivial little projects to work on,
and insufficient time to work on something of a broader scope. 
 
To make matters worse,  when we THINK we have  a project of broader scope,
it usually turns out that the demand for our project isn't what we expected. 
We quickly learn  to stick with the projects that pay, and to avoid at all
costs projects based on speculation or market appearance. It seems the FUN
projects are all gone,  and we're destined to while away our lives on cost
accounting software (or other equally boring work). 
 
Now, I'm not one to believe in luck.  Luck is a  myth fabricated by losers
to explain why they missed the boat. But every now and then... something
happens which raises a question mark in my mind. Something that opens a
door, even if only a crack, allowing a glimpse into the space beyond.
Something that alters our course, or opens a window of opportunity, or
otherwise holds the promise to change forever the course our life will
take. It is precisely these events which raise the question - is it really
WHAT we know that's all-important? 
 
WHAT IF Gary Killdall had been in his office that fateful day  instead of
out flying his airplane? WHAT IF his secretary hadn't told the IBM
Representative they DIDN'T have any plans to support the 8080-series,  or
WHAT IF she hadn't referred them instead to an obscure little company in
Redmond, Washington? 
 
WHAT IF Steve Jobs hadn't been  given the  tour of  Wang's Palo Alto
Research Center? WHAT IF he hadn't been given  a glimpse of their graphic
mouse-driven environment? 
 
And WHAT IF Bill Gates hadn't been able to secure all rights to Falcon DOS
so easily?  WHAT IF  they hadn't been willing to part with source code? 
WHAT IF they asked for $5,000 more than they settled for? Would the world be
the same today? 
 
Too often, we settle into our  little  "comfort zones".  We, as a
generation, are entirely too easily contented with the definition we've
been spoon-fed of the way the world works.  We tend to lose sight  of the
ideals and principles taught us by our grandfathers  -  that one person CAN
make a difference, that we ARE capable of rising to the occasion... that
America CAN compete, indeed, produce superior products and services in SPITE
of stiff competition from the outside. 
 
We don't look further than  our eyes can  see.  We  DON'T ask the questions
a child would ask.  And we're too  easily persuaded  to accept  "I CAN'T" 
as a valid excuse. 
 
We, as a species,  tend to dwell on the negative, and forget what it was
that brought us to where we are now. And I'm as guilty of it as anybody. 
 
We're the  first to ask "WHY ME?"  when  things go wrong, and to take all
the credit when things go right. And that's WRONG. 
 
Make no mistake,  this project was indeed my "bright idea".  But it was
never planned to grow to this degree,  never  intended to get this far out
of hand. Quite some time ago it began to take on a life of its own, and has
long since become the result  of  ideas and  opinions  contributed  by many
MANY people. I cannot take credit for it,  any  more than I could take 
credit for the sun rising in the East. 
 
And even if it WERE my project and mine alone,  I STILL  couldn't take
credit for it.  Credit goes to everyone along the way who contributed to the
mindset that brought it here.  To a  mother who read ENTIRELY  too much of
Dr. Spock. To a father who preached "I CAN!".  To a  science  teacher  who 
initiated an interest in computers in 1972.  To the  editors  of  Popular
Science,  to the  creator of the Gabriel Erector Sets of the 60's. To the 
fathers  of  the  PC industry, men like Andrew Flugelman, Ward Christenson,
and Bill Estridge. 
 
Credit goes to the first guy that  called  into my system,  Bruce Gabbard,
to verify that it did  INDEED  transmit the graphics.  To Ken McDowell, 
and his  brother James,  who saw  it and raved and convinced me to continue
working on it.  And to an  endless sea of names and faces along the way, 
each with some idea or suggestion  on how to improve it.  To Mike Batts  and 
Marc Mitchell, Paul Rigor and  Don Anderson,  Ralph Tullo, Mike O'Keefe, and
to everyone who showed even a  passing interest,  large or small,  creating 
the incentive to continue working on it. 

 
Credit is due Gerry Pierce,  who's  been calling me regularly for many
months now, carefully watching the development of the project and making
suggestions where possible. 
 
And especially to  Michael Hughes, who's been my BEST Beta tester this
round, covering every  conceivable  inch  of the system  in his efforts to
write the  documentation. This version wouldn't be what it is without him. 
 
To everyone along the way.  To those with the foresight to see where
DarkStar was going, and to those without an ounce of vision to remind me of
the perils of apathy. 
 
I thank you all.  This is your system,  and even if you  DIDN'T contribute
to this version or a prior release,  your interest is a contribution to
where it leads in the future. Details count, and every positive word, every
suggestion and every utterance DOES make a difference. 
 
DarkStar has captured my imagination. It has captured my heart and my soul.
I can see where it is, and where it might go.  And I can also see that it
has a mind of its own. The features I want to add today will likely pale
when compared to those which will undoubtedly be made months or years down
the road.  
 
I've done my share of the big projects. I've launched satellites. I
pioneered FM wireless data communications.  I was  in the middle of it  when
we brought laser scanning to the masses through the retail industry.  I was
there in the beginning, with the Commodores and the TIs and the Ataris and
the TRaSh-80's. 

And NOTHING has captured my imagination like DarkStar.  It's the interaction
with the human beings who use my stuff that makes it all worthwhile. And if
I never make a nickel from it, that's fine too. 
 
She's brought me something I never had with the other big projects - a
degree of interaction  with the users of the system, a clearer 
understanding of the impact of others on my life,  and (of course)  a
broadened horizon  -  a peek beyond the walls of  this work environment at
the end result of my work - and its impact on the lives of others, much like
the impact of others on myself. 
 
She's eight months old now.  Eight months since development began. Somehow
it seems much longer. Somehow she seems more mature, more cultured. 
 
Thanks to all...for everything. 
 
J. Thomas Hunter