Re: API was: Re: FAQ

[Cheng-Chang Wu <ccwu ccwu ping de>]

Marcus Denker wrote:
> 
> GNOME is: --> multilingual
>           --> Windowmanager independent
>           --> has a pluggable look-and-feel
> 
> I think we should add one thing to this list of "political statements".
> GNOME should even be advertised as:
>          ---> API-Independent.

Yes, and it will proof that the choice of Gtk really has advantage over
Qt, which makes this restricted.

> Why this? Today all GNOME-apps are written directly with GTK or with
> direct GTK-bindings. But there are Programms written in other APIs, and
> the KDE-Idea ("we rewrite everything") is (IMHO) not very good.
> The Idea of "One True API" is as false as the Idea of "One True
> Language".
> 
> Every app should use GTK (needed for a consistent look-and-feel),
> but using it directly is not needed (but will be the "default").
> 
> wxWindows has been ported to GTK and provides a alternativ API for
> C++ Programmers.
> 

Yes, IMHO those who have learned wxWindows under DOS/Win and need to
earn his bread with it can help GNOME by writing application with wxGTK.
And there are already some games and applications written in wxWindows
which can immediate become a part of GNOME.

Some guys like to use Qt because it is plateform-independent, like
wxWindows. Many programmers need this charakter, which gtk don't provide
now. Allowing applications written in wxGtk and other APIs based on GTK
to be applications of GNOME will let many programmer happy and immediate
accept GNOME. And blieve me, they will learn GTK too.

But IMHO a rigid line should be drawed between kernel applications and
normal applications. Kernel applications should be direct written in GTK
and its direct wrappers (obGtk, gtk-- and guile-gtk) in order to keep
this plateform lean and solid. Notepad, Help and File manager are part
of kernel applications, while games are not.

These are just my homble opinion.

-- 
Cheng-Chang Wu