Re: The Path of GNUstep (Was: Re: Gnustep + mac + windows? Possible?)

[Tim Harrison]

Jason Clouse wrote:

 > evangelizing and publicity are needed.  But I think that cross-platform
 > portability would be a great draw.  Especially if deployment on other
 > Unices AND Windows were solid AND easy.

Okay, I know I'm going to get absolutely blasted for this one, but...

I really don't think that the GNUstep project should be spending time
developing anything for Windows at this point.

First off, Windows is not an open platform, and after the debacle
regarding the VMWare licencing, and the subsequent statements made about
using applications that are not open source/free software to benefit
free software/open source projects, it feels a little... err... dirty.

Also, with the focus split between the Unix and Windows platform, the
resources are also split.  As we all know, there's still much to be done
in GNUstep, and if everyone focused on one platform, there could be that
   much more progress.

As a traditional situation, sure, it's nice to see GNUstep running on
the platforms that OpenStep was designed for, but the original OpenStep
specification was done by commercial entities with the resources to
implement on multiple platforms.  Right now, GNUstep seems to have
problems just compiling and running on OpenBSD and NetBSD.  Shouldn't
there be more focus on those systems, rather than Windows?

As I say, I'm sure I'm going to get completely blasted for this one, so
I'm preparing now, but I figured if I didn't say something, it would
just gnaw away at me. :)


--

Tim Harrison
tim@linuxstep.org
http://www.linuxstep.org/