My main idea:
1) eCS (OS/2) is alive thanks to the developers of shareware / commercial apps.
(and alive thanks to porting of open source software).
* This developers can spend some time to free/open source apps
* The resellers can sponsor free/opensource development
eCS is alive HERE (where I work) because of Paul Smedley, Dink, Kyo, Peter Moylan and a few others. While I do contribute to Paul and Peter when possible, they release the stuff free.
But this brings us back to largely open source apps (and largely from Paul).
2) Major part of new complex features and applications will be shareware (closed source) by default
(and free / open source if somebody pays real money to the developer).
And I am still waiting on updates to Styler/2, Pixel, xFile, Describe, LDGW and others. How much longer do you think I will be waiting for these paid/shareware apps to be updated?
3) Money is the fuel for developer. You can run on internal resource
during 1 or 3 monthes and create small program.
To develop medium or large program you need real fuel.
Fortunately, I dont think that's what's driving people like Paul (I sure as heck know the pittances I send him don't amount to what his work deserves).
Conclusion:
No need to discriminate eCS apps with closed source.
Major part of *native* apps will be closed.
Sadly if that's the case. That aside, exactly what
"major native apps" do you see that are being worked on (or will be worked on)? I know of none.
Major part of new significant changes in User interface will be closed.
Which part is this? And since closed, and thus implying money being paid, WHY is money being wasted on UI changes? With the recent file dialog changes, the GUI is quite very functional. People bought OS/2 because "it just works". Current business customers are buying eCS because their ancient OS/2 systems "just work" - they don't give a rats ass about making the UI all pretty like Windows 7.
There isn't really a new class of customers waiting out there to buy eCS because "it looks pretty" - that's thus money that can be better spent.
The ONLY area I can see where it would be wanted
AND HELPFUL AS A SELLING POINT is in trying to regain portions of the ATM market - but even then, the stuff is largely custom app interfaces that are unrelated to the WPS.
Because there is no sponsor, no external sponsor. No bank which can support the developers.
Any developer which starts work on UI or other complex program,
will distribute the extension as shareware. Because the development
and debugging of native program requires hundreds of hours.
This is my opinion.
Yes, yes it is your opinion - though your priorities are a little strange.