Re: About writing new apps from scratch

[Allan Day <allanpday gmail com>]

Hey Sebastian,

Sébastien Wilmet <swilmet gnome org> wrote:
...
> I think it is a waste of effort to start writing new apps from scratch,
> instead of improving the existing applications.
...

It's a slightly complex issue, but let me introduce some issues which
might illuminate.

1. A new app doesn't necessary require rewriting from scratch. We
reuse common libraries wherever possible. We copy code whenever we
can.

2. Sometimes older apps are limited by their architecture. We have
some basic goals for the core GNOME apps, like being able to present
local and remote content simultaneously. Not all of the older content
apps are able to do this.

3. Change is hard. Established apps tend to have loyal users and
extensive functionality. This makes redesign really hard. Sometimes
not all the existing functionality makes sense within a new design.
Often existing users don't want the app they are familiar with change.
Creating a new app is often much easier for both the designer and the
users.

I agree with your basic point - that we should seek to minimise the
amount of work that we set ourselves, and I would hope that we are
doing that as much as possible. At the same time, creating new apps is
not necessarily a bad thing, and doesn't necessarily mean abandoning
work that has been done previously.

Thanks,

Allan