Re: GNUstep roadmap (was Re: [Suggestion] GNUstep-test for quality control)

[Dennis Leeuw]

Adam Fedor wrote:
> On Monday, October 20, 2003, at 01:22 AM, Philippe C.D. Robert wrote:
>
> > But to remain at least a little on-topic allow me to ask this question 
> > (as a simple user resp. programmer who needs to decide whether to use 
> > it or not): where will the GNUstep project be within 12 months (which 
> > will be more or less GUI 1.0)? What is the (realistic) roadmap for the 
> > GNUstep project anyway?
>
> Well I've thought about that question a lot, obviously, but I don't have 
> a really good answer. Most of my goals revolve around the concept of the 
> GNUstep Desktop. That is, I can have a lot of individual goals about the 
> GNUstep development platform, but it's hard to know what's really 
> important without a consensus of what the "reference" GNUstep Desktop 
> would look like. Will it be "all GNUstep", with our own Window Manager, 
> or do we need to give up our small town mentality and try to integrate 
> better with KDE and/or Gnome. What are the really important things that 
> people want to accomplish with GNUstep?
>
> I don't much care which way it goes.  I've been working on GNUstep for 
> over 10 years now, and I just keep going for the fun of it, not because 
> I have any aspirations that it will become some wildly popular, 
> unbeatable project. My one hope is that it will be useful before it 
> becomes obsolete :-)
>
> I have a few goals listed on the "Task List" at www.gnustep.org. Let me 
> know if you have any suggestions.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss-gnustep mailing list
> Discuss-gnustep@gnu.org
> http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnustep

Here is another Euro...

To me GNUstep is a development environment, and with that comes the 
trouble. If you want a real user friendly, crossplatform environment you 
need to supply the tools for the developer.

There is also the legacy of NeXT and the mirror we keep on looking in 
called MacOSX.

One of the biggest things I have seen emerge from/for GNUstep is 
Renaisance. I think this is/could be the real "pro" of GNUstep compared 
to other development platforms.

The real issue here is trying to let go on the "stick to NeXT" and "Oh 
MacOSX has" ideas.

To summon things up:
Create a tightly integrated development environment aimed at being 
crossplatform. This means you have to create a "self contained" environment.
- GNUstep should have it's own Window Manager (preferably integrated 
into the backend).
- GNUstep should have a file browser
- GNUstep should have a URL browser (http/ftp/...)
- GNUstep should have a helpsystem (man/info/class browser)
- GNUstep should have a code editor
- GNUstep should have a project manager (and documentation tool)
- GNUstep should have a GUI builder
- The development apps should be aimed at being crossplatform. Use 
Renaisance (sorry Gregory)
- Create a stable backend, which contains everything that is needed to 
make it work.

It's quite easy when you don't write code yourself to comment on the 
work of others, I know. On the otherhand it gives me the opertunity to 
look at the project from a distance.

I feel GNUstep should not aim at integration with other environments 
right now. Let's stay our own island in the sea. And build the best 
development environment around. The applications will come.

What I have seen happening from the moment I discovered GNUstep to where 
it is now great things have been accomplished, thanks to everyone 
actually writting code, and this will continue, I am sure.
I think GNUstep passed the momentum of being at risk of dying.

And...

Happy Stepping,

Dennis Leeuw