Poll: Cross Platform GUI
-
Not me! I've always thought that the entire cross-platform argument was a crock mainly because it's impossible. There's always something that platform A can do that platform B can't. Whereupon the code base compiled for platform B grows a conditionally compiled excressence to fake something. And then the code base for platform A grows a similar excressence to compensate for the things IT can't do... And that way madness lies... Rob Manderson I'm working on a version for Visual Lisp++ My blog http://blogs.wdevs.com/ultramaroon/[^]
At the risk of sounding like I am supporting a particular OS vendor, isn't that what JIT (just in time) compilers, operating on a meta-language, are all about? It will probably take some independent compiler vendor, or, preferably, open source project to implement this, as opposed to an OS vendor. Unfortunately, there is little incentive for the OS vendors to cooperate because it would mean lost revenue if multi-vendor solutions are implemented. They are good at offering volume discounts to large corporate customers to insure winning the contract and they do not want to share the wealth. This is an area that really begs to be implemented so that applications can be developed without regard for any particular target architecture. It has been the holy grail of development for quite some time. I would rather have my teeth drilled than do system testing! JimmyRopes
-
Which is the best programming language, open source, not Qt, etc. 1.)Mono.net 2.)wxWindows 3.)Mozilla XUL 4.)Other http://www.priyank.in/
I've recently had to make a similar decision on this myself. I am working on v2 of an app of mine which up to now has included a dedicated admin program written in MFC. The main app itself is an NT service. As many people may need this admin app installed, I have decided to go with a "browser client" solution. I have written a mini-web server that is installed (as a service) on the NT server where the main program resides, and all administration is done via the browser. This means that the customers need no dedicated admin software, and could potentially administer the main app from a non-MS platform. My only regret is that I didn't do this years ago! I design my admin pages as HTML forms (using the excellent Nvu HTML editor - Mozilla Composer with wings) and embed these pages as resources in the admin service. The HTTP part was inredibly straightforward to write, and thanks to use of CSS, changing the "look and feel" of the pages is a breeze. OK, you don't get any flashy controls with HTML (no tree view, list view, etc.) but I am only losing a little bit of functionality by doing without them. I may even investigate the hot new "AJAX" technology that Google and others are using to make the admin experience more snappy.
-
I am also using it currently, and it rocks, but I am not sure of its future. It has still a long way to grow and mature enough like MFC, where you want a control and just search codeproject, finish... http://www.priyank.in/
I've used several time wxWindows and I think it's a very good solution for multiplatform solution but, as you, I don't feel safe and sure for it's future, so I can take this risk but not my customers. ... she said you are the perfect stranger she said baby let's keep it like this... Tunnel of Love, Dire Straits.
-
Which is the best programming language, open source, not Qt, etc. 1.)Mono.net 2.)wxWindows 3.)Mozilla XUL 4.)Other http://www.priyank.in/
VCF is another one that should be on your list: http://vcf-online.org/[^] Regards, Brian Dela :-) Blog^ Co-author of The Outlook Answer Book... Go on, pre-order^ it today! Regular Expression Library builder^
-
I've recently had to make a similar decision on this myself. I am working on v2 of an app of mine which up to now has included a dedicated admin program written in MFC. The main app itself is an NT service. As many people may need this admin app installed, I have decided to go with a "browser client" solution. I have written a mini-web server that is installed (as a service) on the NT server where the main program resides, and all administration is done via the browser. This means that the customers need no dedicated admin software, and could potentially administer the main app from a non-MS platform. My only regret is that I didn't do this years ago! I design my admin pages as HTML forms (using the excellent Nvu HTML editor - Mozilla Composer with wings) and embed these pages as resources in the admin service. The HTTP part was inredibly straightforward to write, and thanks to use of CSS, changing the "look and feel" of the pages is a breeze. OK, you don't get any flashy controls with HTML (no tree view, list view, etc.) but I am only losing a little bit of functionality by doing without them. I may even investigate the hot new "AJAX" technology that Google and others are using to make the admin experience more snappy.
Ya, surely but that is client server scenario, html/xml based solutions is the best option for that. But the question is for standalone app that integrates or uses OS funtionality, etc. http://www.priyank.in/
-
Uhm, how many people here think cross-platform GUI programming is actually a good idea?
I do not. Every effort I have seen has not been productive. It is far better to really seperate the business code from the presentation and develope the presentation for the enviroment. I do not mind getting old. It beats all the other options that I can think of.
-
I do not. Every effort I have seen has not been productive. It is far better to really seperate the business code from the presentation and develope the presentation for the enviroment. I do not mind getting old. It beats all the other options that I can think of.
Michael A. Barnhart wrote: develope the presentation for the enviroment. I think wxWidget and mono does the same thing, and it helps you to write code for each platform. http://www.priyank.in/
-
VCF is another one that should be on your list: http://vcf-online.org/[^] Regards, Brian Dela :-) Blog^ Co-author of The Outlook Answer Book... Go on, pre-order^ it today! Regular Expression Library builder^
Downloaded the .chm documentation, but even the Tom archer message on top of the site can't make me feel it as strong competitor to wxWidgets or mono, or XUL. http://www.priyank.in/
-
VCF is another one that should be on your list: http://vcf-online.org/[^] Regards, Brian Dela :-) Blog^ Co-author of The Outlook Answer Book... Go on, pre-order^ it today! Regular Expression Library builder^
Brian Delahunty wrote: _VCF is another one that should be on your list: http://vcf-online.org/\[^\]_ Yep, I agree - Jim Crafton is one really astonishing fellow, isn't he?
-
Which is the best programming language, open source, not Qt, etc. 1.)Mono.net 2.)wxWindows 3.)Mozilla XUL 4.)Other http://www.priyank.in/
-
Uhm, how many people here think cross-platform GUI programming is actually a good idea?
-
VCF is another one that should be on your list: http://vcf-online.org/[^] Regards, Brian Dela :-) Blog^ Co-author of The Outlook Answer Book... Go on, pre-order^ it today! Regular Expression Library builder^
I second that. It is very nicely designed (maybe a little too dynamic for my taste, but still way better than any other GUI library I have looked so far), and released under BSD license, which is much more relaxed than LGPL and GPL. The problem is: I just can't find a chance to get my hands dirty with VCF. I decided to use it for the sample project for my next CP article, but given the speed my article is progressing it may happen in a couple of years.
My programming blahblahblah blog. If you ever find anything useful here, please let me know to remove it.
-
No one claims that cross-platform GUIs work perfectly, but it's better than the alternatives: a) Just ignore your Macintosh and Linux markets and let some other company get the profits. b) Write completely seperate applications and fork your code base.
ed welch wrote: a) Just ignore your Macintosh and Linux markets and let some other company get the profits. I didn't suggest that. ed welch wrote: b) Write completely seperate applications and fork your code base. You don't need to write completely separate apps. Just separate the UI layer from the rest of the app. So, you can have one UI layer for Win32, one for the MAC etc. Keep the business logic in portable code.
-
ed welch wrote: a) Just ignore your Macintosh and Linux markets and let some other company get the profits. I didn't suggest that. ed welch wrote: b) Write completely seperate applications and fork your code base. You don't need to write completely separate apps. Just separate the UI layer from the rest of the app. So, you can have one UI layer for Win32, one for the MAC etc. Keep the business logic in portable code.
You could do that, but then you have to use the GUI toolkit from both platforms, instead of just one cross platform one. Even though using a cross platform toolkit still means you have to do write some platform specific code, it is a *lot* less work than recoding the entire GUI.
-
No one claims that cross-platform GUIs work perfectly, but it's better than the alternatives: a) Just ignore your Macintosh and Linux markets and let some other company get the profits. b) Write completely seperate applications and fork your code base.
ed welch wrote: Just ignore your Macintosh and Linux markets and let some other company get the profits. Mac maybe, but I am not aware of any profitable GUI application for Linux.
My programming blahblahblah blog. If you ever find anything useful here, please let me know to remove it.
-
I do not. Every effort I have seen has not been productive. It is far better to really seperate the business code from the presentation and develope the presentation for the enviroment. I do not mind getting old. It beats all the other options that I can think of.
wxWidgets can use what's called XRC to seperate the GUI from the code, which is very much like XAML. Jeremy Falcon
-
I vote for Qt. It is open source. Version 4 was reciently launched and now free version is available for Windows.
-
The trouble with Qt (which I think is a fine lib too) is that commercial development isn't free. :~
-
Uhm, how many people here think cross-platform GUI programming is actually a good idea?
Cross-platform GUI programming isn't all that bad. I think Qt does a good job, unlike Java. The only objections I have is when for example an app looks like a windows app, when it's running on Mac or Unix. As long as the platform's look'n'feel is preserved (without horrible performance penalties!), then there's no problem really...? Good music: In my rosary[^]
-
Not me! I've always thought that the entire cross-platform argument was a crock mainly because it's impossible. There's always something that platform A can do that platform B can't. Whereupon the code base compiled for platform B grows a conditionally compiled excressence to fake something. And then the code base for platform A grows a similar excressence to compensate for the things IT can't do... And that way madness lies... Rob Manderson I'm working on a version for Visual Lisp++ My blog http://blogs.wdevs.com/ultramaroon/[^]
If system A supports the WIMP-idiom and system B as well, then it is quite possible (which I believe Qt demonstrates quite well). However, when you start to abstract away the operating system (of which the GUI is only a small part), then you end up with a very bad lowest common denominator. Good music: In my rosary[^]