BMax should come with some 3D module. Even if it was just a wrap aroung a 3rd party engine. Having to download extra stuff after purchasing and downloading BMAX may put some people off.
This is a good point. Why not bundle MiniB3D with BlitzMax?
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this before, but I can't help thinking that it would really help if someone at BRL sat down and wrote a proper installer. I mean one that does everything. How long could it possibly take? At the moment, it's "install this, download that, put this there, download something else, check these options, make sure you get this version, environment variable this, path variable that, copy these files from here to there, add this to that, turn around, touch the ground, touch your nose, touch your toes."
I know it really doesn't bother some people, and I know this because I am one of the some people it really doesn't bother, but there's really no excuse for it, and it must put some people off. There seems to be a common misconception that all programmers like ferreting around in dark corners of computers, and clearly that isn't the case for everyone. Some people just want to open an IDE and get going, but BlitzMax makes that utterly impossible. Certain modules absolutely require MinGW be installed ( and let's face it, we BlitzMax users are guilty of telling people how great all the modules are, so we're making them want to use these modules! ) and it's a pain in the Khyber.
Is it really impossible to bundle MinGW with BlitzMax? I know it's GPL and all, but nothing's carved in stone. You can usually get a custom license if you ask nicely, explain the purpose and limitations, and provide a good reason for it. I can't help thinking that the status quo is simply because no one's tried asking.
That aside, you could integrate the path and environment variable steps into the installer. You could have the installer automatically find and begin downloading MinGW if it truly can't be bundled together. The vast majority of all this faffing about could be taken care of.
Let's face it, the instructions on how to do it aren't even in the most obvious place ( They're in the Module Tweaks forum, if memory serves ) and after all this time, Mark's original instructions are still wrong. People have posted below him adding what additional steps need to be taken, but he still hasn't updated his top message to reflect that, leaving dazed newcomers who have no idea who is smart and who is an idiot ( I should probably wear a t-shirt to help them identify me ) to pick between several dozen replies, guessing which ones are providing the information they need and which ones aren't.
As I say, I couldn't personally care less, but this can't be helping the (completely inaccurate) impression that BlitzMax is more complicated than Blitz3D.