I think the real problem isn't so much the naysayers, as it is some other reasons, and I'm going to sound like a total dick when I say this, but screw it.
The reason shits not getting done is due to some self centeredness, and ego-fueled bullshit, as opposed to gittin' r done.
As far as the PCE is concerned, I created Aetherbyte and set out to do the following:
--Make Games. I have lots of ideas for games, and its fun to bring western arcade games from the 80s to the PCE, all enhanced-like, even if they rate like a 6/10 to some people.
--Tackle the dreaded PSG mountain thats been bitchslapping the community for like a decade or more.
Done, and done.
I myself don't give two shits about piddlyf*ck little tech demos at this point, or crap that makes the PCE function like an Amiga or some noise. I really don't. We all have access to everything. If you want to listen to mods, use a mod player. ffs.
The tech demo thing was alright to lay the ground work for the PCE scene, but lets step back and look at this.
Today, in the later half of 2010, we have:
Meteor Blaster
Implode
Insanity
Squirrel (To make fully functional chiptune soundtracks for games, as demonstrated thoroughly)
MSR on the horizon
Touko's stuff
Graphical work done for a Dragon Quest game, Xymati, Gunjin, and who the hell knows what else
music for some of these games too.
It's clear between these things ^^^,the demos/stuff on Zeograd.com, and the wealth of documentation now available, that we don't need anything but games. Its a game console. It needs new games, not new "take it to the brink" crap that isn't even really that useful in a game.
I'm not knocking what has been done in the past. Being that the PCE was a closed platform, having a good chunk of stuff to learn from on top of documentation is/was important. Theres enough of it floating around now. Games are what we need, and games are what we want.
If whatever's being done doesn't directly relate to a game project, its a waste of time and isn't contributing to the non-coding community.
We're outnumbered by people who have no clue, no time, or no desire to program games. It's our job to deliver them nice things to keep the system alive.
Not too many people benefit from a non-interactive demo, or some shit, where only maybe 10 people actually understand/give a damn about what its even doing.
If I weren't a programmer, all I would want is things where you move stuff around with the controller, press buttons, and interact. They're called video games, and I would want those more than anything.
Thats my story, and Im sticking to it.