Re: Status of my GTK efforts.

[Kevin A. Burton]

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Richard Stallman <address@hidden> writes:

>     You say "GTK is the recommend GUI toolkit for GNU programs".  Is this
>     recommended or forced?
> 
> It is very strongly recommended--there would need to be a very strong
> reason to justify using any other toolkit as the basis for a new GNU
> package today.
> 
>           What if QT eventually becomes clearly superior to GTK?
> 
> It is exceedingly unlikely that Qt will become so thoroughly superior that we
> would want to drop GTK in favor of Qt.

funny.  I find it exceedingly likely :)..  Actually I just find it likely.  The
truth is I don't care.  I just think we need standardization on this element.

> In fact, the limitation of Qt to C++
> is a grave technical drawback,

Unless you are using C++. 

> which could hardly be overcome by any other practical advantages.

possibly.  
<snip/>

> The overall purpose of the GNU Project is social and political: to spread
> freedom and community for software users.  Technical aspects are secondary to
> that.  Therefore, from time to time we make a technical decision based on
> social and political consequences which outweigh the technical consequences.
> Don't be surprised when you see this.

I am not surprised by this.  I agree that technical decisions are secondary,
especially when restrictive licenses are involved.

> The idea that engineers should consider only technical reasons in their
> decisions is not just mistaken--it is the exact opposite of what a socially
> responsible engineer does.  I am shocked to see an engineer advocating the
> rejection of social responsibility.

I hope you are not asserting that *I* am rejecting social responsibility?

> It is like Werner von Braun in the song: "I send rockets up, but where they
> come down is not my department, says Werner von Braun."  Please be aware that
> in the GNU Project we decided long ago not to look at things that way.

I also don't know what is rejecting social responsibility.  Is advocating the
use of foo (which is GPL) instead of bar (which is also GPL) "rejecting social
responsibility"?
<snip/>

I didn't reply to the rest... I don't have the time to respond :(

Kevin

- -- 
Kevin A. Burton ( address@hidden, address@hidden, address@hidden )
             Location - San Francisco, CA, Cell - 415.595.9965
        Jabber - address@hidden,  Web - http://relativity.yi.org/

Linux is both Open Source and Free Software, Java is neither!
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