GTK vs other toolkits. Was Re: Re: gtk2?

The reason (i think) we should be using GTK is not because it is
specifically designed for PDA environments, or because it is the best
Toolkit for PDA which when compared to other more domain specific
environments, it is for exactly the same reason that we are using X11 on
handhelds, which is that it provides a similar (if not the same)
environment for application developers as is available on the desktop, to
develop applications; which will be what makes or breaks a PDA
environment. Yes you will have to make compromises and the fit may not be
as perfect as it would be with a whole new environemnt designed
specifically for the platform, but the fact that anybody who can code GTK
or pyGTK or use glade can then trivially port their apps to PDA _is_ the
point as far as i can see.

One of the reasons there are so many PocketPC/Wince apps is because the
API is a direct subset of win32 ;

comparing PixilPDA PIM (which isn't open source is it?) and mingle is
really not a comparison between toolkits, it is really a comparison
between an application which was developed by people who were payed to
develop it, and an appplication which is not.

anyway. i digress.

What exactly are the HCI issues you speak of?

I think with some changes under the GTK hood, it should be possibel to
resolve any HCI issues withough breaking GTK or API compatibility.

owen

On Sat, 12 Jan 2002, Tom wrote:

> On Sat, Jan 12, 2002 at 12:48:27PM +0000, mallum wrote:
> > Its also worth remembering that the ipaq used to come with gtk and Xaw
> > libs which got removed and saved about a meg.
>
> *if* we ask the toolkit question anyway, we should to it fully. I'm
> still not convinced that gtk is the right tool for an embedded device.
> my current point of view is that it's "good enough", available and it
> works, but from the HCI side, it definitely isn't the right choice.
>
> once again, please take a look at the pixil (centurysoftware.com)
> screenshots. compare them to, say, mingle and ask yourself whether you
> have a snowballs chance in hell to sell a non-geek person mingle over
> the pixil address book.
>
>
>

-- 
Owen Cliffe, Ph.D. Student, Dept. Computer Science
University of Bath