[sword-devel] Delphi, mxwindows, java

[Chris Little]

On Thu, 13 Mar 2003, Klaus R. H.  Walther wrote:

> is it possible that there will be 3 different cross-plattform projects
> started soon? With Delphi, mxwindows and java? Does this makes sence. Or
> should we concentrate on one solution?

I think these three platforms represent different goals/audiences.

Delphi (I didn't notice that anyone was still considering this, but 
there's been a lot of mail to keep track of lately) isn't really 
cross-platform--it's 2 platforms at best.  It's also going to run into the 
wall, like any RAD tool, of not being able to integrate new functionality 
immediately or without the assistance of people working in the C++ 
code/bindings.

wxWindows is good for cross-platform, native-UI, compiled stuff.

Java is Java, i.e. really not for the desktop.  A GUI based on JSword is, 
as with one based on a RAD tool, going to lag behind the features 
available in C++ Sword since they're implemented there first.


In all honesty, if people want to concentrate on developing a good Windows
UI, though, they need to/should use Visual C++ (& probably MFC) since it
will help them maximize conformity to look & feel of Windows apps plus 
allow them to integrate things like Gecko or Graphite with little 
of the difficulty we currently experience woring with Borland tools.


But to answer your real question:
If people have different objectives (e.g. specifically developing for 
Java, for cross-platform portability, or for a good Windows UI) then they 
shouldn't feel bad about starting different projects.  If they have the 
same goals, they should work together.  It seems that in this group, we 
have people with different goals, as we have always had (and hence we have 
numerous different projects).

--Chris