Re: Proposal for Directfb GDK library

[Mike Emmel <mike emmel gmail com>]

On 11/10/05, Matthias Clasen <mclasen redhat com> wrote:
> On Thu, 2005-11-10 at 20:40 +0100, Attilio Fiandrotti wrote:
> > Hi everybody
> >
> > After months of working the debian installer is finally going to be
> > graphical: the debian-installer team will make announcement after Etch
> > Beta1 is out.
> > The graphical d-i uses a GTK frontend to interact with the user, you can
> > grab the latest built ISO here
> >
> > http://people.debian.org/~fjp/d-i/images/daily/gtk-miniiso/mini.iso
> > (based on GTKDFB 2.0.9)
> >
> > or here
> >
> > https://debian.polito.it/downloads/mini_gtkdfb_2_8_3.iso (based on
> > GTKDFB 2.8.3).
> >
> > The debian installer makes use of GTK over DirectFrameBuffer rather than
> > GTK over X since this allows us to save up some space in the
> > installation cdrom.
> > Actually we make use of GTKDFB version 2.0.9: altough outdated this
> > GTKDFB version has proved to be stable enough for what we need to do
> > (tested with vesafb on i386, AMD64 and PPC).
> > Mike Emmel, who developes and maintains the GDK and CAIRO ports to DFB,
> > has recently provided a working GTKDFB version 2.8.3 that we would like
> > to use in the future inside d-i to replace GTKDFB 2.0.9.
> > Some work still has to be done before GTKDFB 2.8.3 is stable
> > enough to be used in real world use and packaged for use in d-i.
> > As mike emmel said the GDK library for DFB needs to be completed and
> > fixed in some parts and the code needs a general revision but he cannot
> > do this all alone since he lacks time.
> > Some help is needed: Mike suggested someone among those who were once
> > involved in the (now dead) project of porting GTK to FrabeBuffer (GTKFB)
> > could be interested in developing GTKDFB.
> > Mike Emmel is also actually merging CairoDFB into Cairo mainline, so
> > that it will get more exposure and will be easier to package later.
> > At debian-boot we also belive that merging GDKDFB into GTK mainline
> > would be good: this would give to GDKDFB exposure and will be easier
> > packaging it.
> > Note that ATM GDKDFB (both 2.0.9 and 2.8.3) and CAIRO DFB can be built
> > only using a set of patches and non standard libraries and this make
> > building and packaging very difficult.
> > We (the debian-installer team) support Mike Emmel's suggestion to merge
> > GDKDFB into mainline GTK since this will contribute a lot not only to
> > ease building and packaging but also to attract developers willing to
> > work on it.
> > We belive GTKDFB will be useful not only in the d-i project, but also
> > will be a valid solution for embedded GUI based systems (PDAs, mobile
> > phones..) because of its lower memory overhead and hadrware resource
> > requirements.
> > What do you think? is anybody interested in getting involved in
> > developing GDKDFB? And is there any chance GDKDFB is ever going to be
> > merged into GTK mainline?
> >
>
> It has been on the GTK+ roadmap (for 2.6, I think), but the main GDKFB
> developers have been reluctant to actually make this happen.
>
> Matthias
>

Now that there is a project the debian installer that uses the backend
I think its time to merge into the main branch. I'm working with the
debian team to identify a few more people that are willing to help. I
feel that the project needs at least three people willing to dedicate
some time to it. I'm of course one so I'm looking for two warm or
lukewarm bodies to help.

My plan is as follows.

1.) Get Cairo DirectFB backend into the Cairo tree.
2.) Submit all patches to the make system needed to get directfb to compile
in a few places its assumed that LINUX means X11.
3.) Submit backend.
4.) Get the gtk dev team names of people  willing to watch the bug
reports and respond to inquires. ( ASAP)

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