ORB issues, memory usage, etc.

[Elliot Lee <sopwith cuc edu>]

Currently we're using Mico (and some related hacks) to provide an
environment that developers. However, Mico uses C++ and is bloated even
for a C++ system, so it's not an option for providing an end-user
environment.

The GIMP people will also be needing an ORB to replace PDB soon (i.e. 
after 1.0 settles down)  and tell me they do not wish to require C++ for
the Gimp. 

[This is not new for those of you on gnome-components-list - I'm just
submitting it for a wider audience] So, basically I think we need to write
an ORB from scratch.

It will be in C, put performance at the top of the list (methinks there's
a way to cut the overhead to using a function call variable, for shared
object activation), and implement CORBA language bindings for C at first,
other languages later on, plus all the features we need (DII/DSI, POA,
etc.). 

I've set up a mailing list - e-mail orbit-list-request@cuc.edu with a
subject of 'subscribe'. If you are not willing to contribute in the form
of code or major documentation, please don't subscribe - instead, I'll be
happy to hear your thoughts via personal E-mail. 

[Under duress of a class, I'm writing a paper on the bureaucratic ORB
 issues of ORBit, so if anyone is wanting the low-down on why this new
 ORB has to be done, I'll be happy to have you all act as proof-readers
 shortly :-]

Also, if you see inefficencies in other areas of Gnome (i.e. memory waste,
reimplementation of the routines already in the shared libraries, etc.) 
please provide a patch so we can fix it right away. Also please try to use
pre-existing routines and widgets in the shared libraries instead of
reimplementing them in your own programs - the reason we have so many
shared libraries used by most apps is to reduce memory and disk space
usage compared to other "force the app to reinvent the wheel" approaches.
(The dependencies also allow us to put the latest technology in all the
apps, easily, but that sounds like it is more of that bureaucratic
buzzword crap I should be putting in my paper :-) 

OK, hope this helps, let the coders spring forth, and let Gnome be speedy
and frugal,
-- Elliot					http://www.redhat.com/
"The obvious mathematical breakthrough would be development of an easy way
to factor large prime numbers." -- Bill Gates from "The Road Ahead," p. 265.