The D -> VB compiler project was an ongoing effort to create a tool that would transpile native D code into VB code. The project was active throughout March to October 2019 and at the peak of development the team reached 374 members. Throughout development multiple new technologies were created by the team in order to assist with the development of the main transpiler, these include "undocumented base 128 encryption", "Discord P2P server boosting", "Discord version control", "visual forking", the "DVB license" and an effort to run Android 1.5 on iOS devices running iOS 5 named "Project Egg Inc". Sadly after initial development slowed down the team disbanded and the project's main object was never completed, leaving 6 side projects behind and no working build of a D -> VB transpiler.

While the project structured itself like an open source community, the project was closed sourced throughout the entire development with only small amounts of D code and pseudo code being strategically released to the community by the project's developers. Only once was a working build of the transpiler ever shown in public in the form of a YouTube video uploaded by a Counter-Strike hacking YouTuber who was not a member of the development or community. It's structure is compared to a more open iteration of the Wildpointer project, replacing community members for corporations and using a more democratic approach to project road maps.

The closed source nature of the project was reflected in the subsequent side projects that were developed alongside the main transpiler. The "DVB license" which the transpiler and all side projects were licensed under is one of the most restrictive open source licenses ever conceived. It was designed by the developers as a way to release source code without the risk of it being used or shared by anyone. The only right given to the recipient is the right to be sued. However no lawsuits were brought against recipients of the DVB license in the life of the project.

While remaining closed, the project's developers reflected an interest in creating technology that was interoperable with existing platforms. This is reflected in the initial intent of the main transpiler to create VB OSs to run on top of Windows, and also in the side projects. "Project Egg Inc" was an attempt to run Android on iOS devices, and later in it's development cycle it was announced that a leaked version of BBC's micro:bit toolkit would be used in development. Before the project's closure when Discord announced a similar "boosting" feature, the project's team was working on server benefits for money by using peer-to-peer networking technology on top of Discord's original client.

Throughout the middle of development the team started working on security and encryption technology after a hacking of all 374 members occurred by a rival project trying to achieve a similar objective but transpiling to a derivative of VB - Wildpointer. The team responded with a new cryptography technique, "undocumentation", and a new technology utilizing it, "undocumented base 128". The idea was simple, encode a string with base 64 twice making it base 128, then don't tell anyone it's base 128, that makes it "undocumented base 128". The team started using it for all sensitive subjects in the Discord server. The ability to use base 64 was allowed by a "visual fork", a new type of fork invented by the development team that strips copyright from an original project and gives it back to the forker.

While the project's objective was never completed, the D -> VB transpiler project output 6 innovative side projects in a 7 month period making it one of the most productive projects of the period.

IMAGES

The only ever public screenshot of the D -> VB transpiler.

The only public screenshot of an app built using the D -> VB transpiler.

The only snippet of psuedo code ever released.