Subject: Re: NO consensus!
From: Leonard Rosenthol (leonardr@lazerware.com)
Date: Sun Apr 22 2001 - 07:16:26 CDT
At 10:44 PM 4/21/2001 -0400, Dom Lachowicz wrote:
>1) Abiword is an XP app
>1.a) We want it to have as close to 100% feature-parity between platforms
>1.b) So we have the need to be able to read documents created on Win32 on
>a Unix box, etc...
I would also add to this:
1.c) We want to keep as much code in XP as possible since it means less
time to deliver higher quality software.
>2) AbiWord also must integrate well with its host platform. It must look,
>feel, and behave as well as possible with those other "native" apps
>2.a) This means that we must use p-specific code in those areas where it
>"makes sense" to. Such an example is a widget set or using GnomePrint.
>2.b) This also means that some platforms might have builtins/libraries
>more powerful/different from other platforms.
Agreed.
>Now, I'm arguing that we should use 2a & 2b to our advantage. We *need* to
>fit in with our surroundings. We *need* to use those things that are
>available to us, when their usage is both feasible and reasonable.
No argument from me, HOWEVER we shouldn't just something because
it's there - as it may have ramifications on all the other platforms.
>So using GdkPixbuf on Gnome would be great because it lets you do #1 while
>leveraging #2. Our users get a great experience there. Users don't care
>about duplicated code that they'll never see.
Except that GdkPixbuf doesn't make the product any more or less a
Gnome app than it was before you added that code. Gnome-Print, GAL, etc.
are all visible indications that we are a GOOD Gnome application, and are
things that Gnome users expect - but GdkPixbuf is not - it's
infrastructure. It's in the same boat as glib, which we also don't use.
>What I'm arguing for is an interface which will avoid this duplication
>*where* possible and also let us interface with native libs such that our
>users have as rich and powerful experience as they demand.
Fine, but let's try to get the MOST XP code/design out of this and
not "take the easy way out" because you already hacked in some code...
Leonard
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