It's not protean's or Rob's fault that the .NET runtimes are 25 meg.
Nobody forced the developer to use a .NET based language to make Protean. It was his own decision. Blitz includes a whole crapload of "runtime" in it that isn't needed
Last time I checked BlitzPlus, it was less than the runtimes for VB6 or VC++ 6. Mark provides a language that creates less "bloated" exes than any MS language. I can use the "native graphics" in Blitz Plus and not need any DX or GL dependency for an application and require no additional runtimes to run my application. I would love to see MS create a language that can come close to approaching what Mark has done with "non bloat" for Blitz Plus. Some people just need to crawl out of 1987 when the largest program out there was Willy Beamish on what?
Programmers need to remain "ethical" and not "bloat because they can. I have been having a similar discussion via email with a developer who has a nice 2D game, unfortunately he is using VC++ .NET and the DX9 SDK. 50MB+ of runtimes for a simple 2D game. People who follow this "bloat because you can" herd mentality will definitely be " left holding the short end of the stick". As you said: Frankly, I couldn't care less
This seems to be the problem with kids today. They have no pride in their work, they have no respect for their customers and end users.