MSX auction: asMSX rights and source code

Karoshi Corp. has decided to stop active asMSX development. asMSX is a well-known MSX/Z80 cross-assembler with some interesting features for MSX game development, such as native ROM/megaROM generation, automatic WAV output for cassette-interface load and many others.

Due to this, free distribution is not granted anymore and the full rights of the software and the original source code are being auctioned on eBay. The person who wins the auction will receive the full rights over the software and the source code in order to continue active development and/or distribution. Currently both Windows and Linux versions are supported, but the code can be easily compiled in any operating system with GCC available.

Karoshi has invested hundreds of hours in developing this tool. If you want a future for it, place your bid for asMSX rights and source code. It is the first time that such an initiative is carried out. Will it be successful? We don't know yet, but asMSX continuity is at stake.

Relevant link: eBay Auction

Comments (33)

By andete

Expert (97)

02-04-2011, 17:17

If this is an important program, why not buy it and then release it as opensource?

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

02-04-2011, 20:38

That's the idea: if someone buys it, then it could be released even as opensource. Or make an iPhone/Android version to code on the go and sell it a the AppStore/Webstore for $100 each copy

I'm just trying to justify with a very low price more than 10 years of research and development, endless hours of coding and testing. This project is over. I'll take the money and invest it wisely in beer or other commodities. For it's current price, €60, I think that I'll be able to recover something like a tenth of my caffeine investment while developing asMSX.

By Manuel

Ascended (19470)

02-04-2011, 20:45

How much energy was invested in openMSX, do you think, in the last 10 years?

It's your choice of course, but for a hobby, don't try to think about investing time as if it is a job. Make sure you invest time in fun things and you can share it with everyone without money issues. And at the plus side: sharing enables you to help each other!

Ah well. Good luck.

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

02-04-2011, 21:01

Manuel: I totally agree with you. openmsx is an amazing piece of software and the MSX emulator that I use ATM. It is free and opensource and it helps other people to enjoy MSX and also as a fantastic development tool. I really appreciate that. Would you dare to put a value to all that effort? Probably not.

But that is exactly what I have done with asMSX. Of course, I was using the tool and that is why I was trying to improve it on a regular basis. I did get some positive feedback out of it. But now that time is over. If someone bids, I will rearrange the code and files, try to improve a bit the code comments, pack it and send it right away to the winner for his purposes. If no one does, I won't invest more time in it and it will haunt my harddrive forever

By Manuel

Ascended (19470)

02-04-2011, 21:06

Why do you stop with asMSX?

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

02-04-2011, 21:15

I'm simply tired of active MSX development and even if I'm still fond of it, no fresh ideas come to my mind. I'm convinced that my time as MSX developer is over and I need to state it clearly, take out a good amount of burden and let other people carry on.

It's my final word regarding this, so please no drama about it. I'll support MSX but not with an active role from now on. Call it "developer burnout" or "thirtysomething vital crisis". But it is real, it has happened to me finally.

By Manuel

Ascended (19470)

02-04-2011, 21:17

Well, I'm glad it's April. The weather was fantastic today

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

02-04-2011, 21:19

Indeed! I've spent the whole day motorbiking with my wife along the sunny coastline. Stunning views!

By KNM

Master (172)

02-04-2011, 22:39

@Manuel : Here in Spain , we celebrate "April´s fool" on 28th December ... I´m sure that pitpan is not joking at all

By Vampier

Prophet (2413)

03-04-2011, 01:24

^_^ place you bets!! it'll stay @ 60 euros.

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

03-04-2011, 10:43

Not even that!

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

03-04-2011, 11:53

Nevermind: eBay has cancelled the auction 'cause "digital delivery" is forbidden. Next time I'll try to read the policies

Just in case: if anyone is still interested, simply mail me at eduardo AD robsy DOT net and we'll discuss business!

By Sander

Founder (1871)

03-04-2011, 12:45

Burn it on a cd?

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

03-04-2011, 17:13

smart idea

burn a CD!

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

03-04-2011, 20:30

Of course, burning a miniCD or sending it in a SD card will suffice.

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

03-04-2011, 20:44

New auction with CD format: http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180648742525

Would it be possible to update the link at the newspost? Thank you.

By Alex

Master (205)

03-04-2011, 22:05

I have just made an offer on ebay. If I win the bid, I'll put it on sourceforge under GPL license.

Cheers,
Alex

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

03-04-2011, 22:59

Thank you, Alex.

By Huey

Prophet (2694)

04-04-2011, 14:25

This post triggered me to give a look/try at asMSX to see it at work.
Unfortunatly I can't anymore.....

[edit]
nevermind.. google came to the rescue.
Too bad it is mainly targeted to the Spanish community. But it looks like some solid piece of software
[/edit]

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

04-04-2011, 18:11

The doc was never translated to English, but there is a community translation to french. Anyway, if you can have a look at the opensource games bundled you'll easily understand how it works.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6935)

06-04-2011, 18:42

there are many z80 assemblers with msx support, but IIRC asmsx probably has the most complete set of features for rom building
It was a pity it was documented only in Spanish

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

08-04-2011, 09:15

I cannot believe it: people is bidding and the price has already increased 19%

By Huey

Prophet (2694)

08-04-2011, 17:04

Guess that is a compliment towards you

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

10-04-2011, 12:58

More than 100 €!?!?!?!?!? ???

By FiXato

Scribe (1743)

10-04-2011, 13:33

Wth? You'd almost think someone doesn't want it to end up GPL'ed

By snout

Ascended (15187)

10-04-2011, 13:56

Great news for you, pitpan! Indeed it would be nice to know the intentions of the buyer(s). I guess we will find those out later today!

By Alex

Master (205)

10-04-2011, 21:09

Sorry but somebody overbid me (the €100,00 bid was mine). Now I can't GPL it :-(

Cheers,
Alex

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

11-04-2011, 08:10

I have just received the payment message, but no further communication so far. I also hope that the new holder of the rights will make the right thing.

By FiXato

Scribe (1743)

12-04-2011, 13:04

I wonder who bought it!

By FiXato

Scribe (1743)

19-04-2011, 02:26

Any more news on this?

By Huey

Prophet (2694)

08-07-2011, 07:52

Any news about it's current state?

By snout

Ascended (15187)

08-07-2011, 08:23

Dito. One would think that the winner of the auction would have at least announced his identity and/or plans for asMSX by now...

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6067)

18-07-2011, 10:36

With a little price someone got the right to use this compiler all by him self. Not a bad investment, if you are planning to attend to MSXdev or something like that as this may give other developers a bit extra work.

MSX auction: asMSX rights and source code

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