User Group Pushing For HyperCard Carbonization

The International HyperCard User Group (iHUG) is looking for support to help get the venerable, and still very popular, programming environment Carbonized for use with Mac OS X. HyperCard revolutionized how programs could be created when it was initially released, and still enjoys widespread support today. There are currently no plans to port HyperCard and the underlying technologies to OS X, but the iHUG group hopes to change that. According to iHUG:

This week Apple will release OS X. This big step forward will needlessly mark the beginning of the end for HyperCard, the beloved and widely used software development application for Macintosh. More important than the loss of thousands of creations that rely on HyperCard is the disappointment to come for the thousands of people and institutions that rely directly and indirectly on HyperCard for everything from managing home gardening to tracking commercial jet maintenance.

But this course of obsolescence can be easily and quickly changed. With the help of just one person at Apple, HyperCard can be "carbonized" in 6 months or less; allowing it to run directly on OS X and thereby continue to thrive in the future. This is not a money or resource issue for Apple. Itis an issue of getting HyperCard the attention it needs.

The International HyperCard Users Group (iHUG) is asking educators, business people, developers, enthusiasts and anyone who recognizes HyperCard as a useful part of the Macintosh toolbox to help save HyperCard, and in turn promote Macintosh forward compatibility, by writing to Mr. Steve Jobs, Office of the CEO, Apple Computer, Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, M/S 301-CEO, Cupertino, CA 95014.

You can find more information at the International HyperCard User Group Web site.