Hi all,
do not know whether this part of the forum best matches this topic but will have a go.
Since MT is linux based, is it possible to “port” existing software or to develop ones own and re-package it for MT?
Thanks in advance
no
Somehow I knew that was comming… 
I would second that idea…
What a support nightmare !!!
Lets NOT go there…
Craig
What a nightmare. Why necessarily a nightmare? E.g. I would like to use the scripting language I know the best - REBOL … it is much better than anything else I know, and it is also very small. If proper hooks would exist in routerOS, that would be possible.
I can imagine problems could exist, but noone really ask for some tight integration to mix something in the kernel. But we already saw request for regexp etc. Of course it could slow down your router, but it would be enough to have some note, that you are on your own.
-pekr-
routeros is routeros, period. next you will want to install games on it. and then your routing breaks, and you email support for help? not going to happen
normis, please, just don’t try to teach me the os design 
I know your motives and you are free to disagree. But it is like saying that linux based router is not router, because it allows you to use additional packages. It is all about some clever api providing some hooks to system, so your router os remains under control. It could be done, but it would probably require some extensive engineering effort, to make it properly working.
And you are already doing something philosophically similar - providing hooks in your os, so that it can be combined with some other systems e.g. for accounting purposes etc.
Some of those tools, as. e.g. Dude, you even decided to incorporate into RouterOS, at least according to what I understood at MUM and you know what? From the OS design pov it is just a service, which does not belong to router, which is imo kind of infrastructure.
Of course it is a usefull service, I am just trying to point out, that the boundary between the os, app services and their protocols, other tools using such protocols/apis, is mixed. Some ppl would prefer more power/extensibility be provided to the core routerOS, some would like to see more app services as accounting, Dude, etc., whereas some other may think, that they don’t belong to router. Now who’s right?
I may be weak in low level networking and am just trying to extend my overall IT knowledge in routing field, but I work with app-data exchange systems (middleware), cross system communications or even higher levels as workflow systems, but please, I am not dumb So no need for periods and suggesting someone would want games or other stuff. I think that original author of this thread may have good purpose asking such a question …
Friendly,
Cheers,
Petr
we are not making a linux distribution. we are making a router software for which we provide support. if people start adding their own apps, we will no longer be able to provide support for our os, as it will be modified.
And I will not buy,use and like it anymore.