Many people have asked me what the current status of my DLLs is, why I haven't come out with any new versions recently, etc. On this page, I hope to answer these questions and perhaps clarify a few things for everyone. So, without further ado...
I apologize for this. I've had a lot of other things to deal with in my life and have been neglecting this page and the forums for a long time. I agree fully that the forums have a horrible interface and have become overrun with ads and such; I assure you that this was not the case when I originally created them.
In any case, I have always been available for comment via e-mail and AOL IM, though I admit that may not have been entirely clear. I don't check my e-mail as frequently as I used to, and I'm not always around even if I am logged into AIM but I do try to respond to everything I receive. I get a lot of spam mail, however, so if you send me an e-mail, try to make the subject something relevant, such as including the words "mIRC," "DLLs," "MDX," etc. E-mails that don't do this risk being accidentally deleted. If it happens that you don't receive a reponse for a long time, there could be a few reasons for it:
Whatever the case, if you don't get a response, you can try sending your e-mail with a different subject or from a different address. It may have a better chance of getting a reply.
I can answer simple questions about my DLLs, mIRC, C/C++, or the Windows API, but I will not have time to answer in-depth programming questions. Additionally, please do not use me as your first reference in such matters; if you have a question about dialogs in mIRC, for example, make sure you have thoroughly read the section on dialogs in mIRC's help file first.
I would very much like to. Unfortunately, I do have other obligations. Currently I am attempting to complete a master's degree in computer science, and this takes up the majority of my time, the remainder of which I will most likely use for relaxation and such.
Long story short: I have not quit on them, but they should be considered on hiatus.
That sort of depends on the previous question. The next version of MDX will come out when I have the chance and motivation to work on it. I understand that that's a terrible answer, but it's the best I have at the moment.
In the past, my policy was that the source code would be available for all my DLLs except for ones still in beta. This was mainly to prevent ripping while the project was still in its fledgling stages. I believe this to be no longer necessary for MDX, as it has been already widely distributed, and everyone knows who wrote it.
With that in mind, some time ago I had said I would release the source to MDX when the next version was completed. Obviously, this has not yet happened. I absolutely will make the source available when that time comes, but I can't say when that will be.
The truth is, I no longer have the source to older MDX versions. I started MDX before I learned the value of proper version control techniques, which means that newer versions have replaced older ones on my hard drive. This is no longer the case, however; I have now a version-controlled source, but I have made incomplete changes to it which would need to be finished before I felt fully comfortable releasing it. If I were to release the source now, it would basically be a broken version that didn't work.
No. Usually, I set my away message the night before. When I get up in the morning, I don't always bother to remove the message. However, the best time to reach me is still probably at night, Eastern Standard/Daylight Time.
No, thanks, I'm fine with what I have. This is not a high-volume site, and my current resources suit me just fine.
Please keep in mind that writing these DLLs is and always has been just a hobby for me. It is not a priority for me. I sympathize with the fact that you've all been waiting around patiently, but the reality of the matter is that I have a life, too. If nothing else, I will try to keep this particular page updated every once in a while.