Re: [guppi-list] Guppi vs. GtkPlot

[Jon Trowbridge <trow emccta com>]

On Tue, Jan 25, 2000 at 08:47:40AM +0000, Aaron Lehmann wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm working an application that will do 2D plotting as one of its many
> features... <snip> But
> I already have a lot of code writen for GtkPlot so I'd like to know more
> about guppi before I make any descisions ;). Does it have comparable 2D
> function and dataset plotting capabilities?

(Sorry for not responding more promptly.)

I haven't used GtkPlot, so I can't comment specifically on its
merits.  Here are some random thoughts on using Guppi in an app,
though.

Pros of Guppi:

* As you mentioned in your original message, Guppi's canvas-based is
  probably architecturally superior for many purposes.

* Guppi will probably end up being more flexible in the number of
  different plot types and styles supported.


Cons of Guppi:

* Guppi is 95% vaporware right now.  Remember that as of today, there
  are *huge* gaps in Guppi's functionality.  Guppi can't even draw and
  label plot axes yet.

* If you start trying to incorporate Guppi into another app right now,
  you have to be realistic and understand that you'll probably spend
  x% of your time working on/fixing/enhancing Guppi, and that is time
  taken away from working on your own app.  (Where x is a number
  distressingly close to 100).

* Guppi probably is/will be a more heavy-weight solution that GtkPlot.
  A certain amount of Guppi scaffolding and infrastructure have to
  make its way into your app, possibly increasing the complexity.


In general, I'd say that you use Guppi only if high-quality plotting
is *really* important to your app, or if your plotting needs will be
substantially more complex that what GtkPlot can currently support.
If this is the case, it is probably worth your while to put in some
time doing the necessary Guppi development --- I suspect that, in the
long run, you'll come out ahead.

If, on the other hand, plotting is not a vastly critical feature in
your app, use GtkPlot.  Maybe Guppi will be a nice drop-in plotting
solution a year from now, but for now it probably isn't worth the
trouble.

-JT

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