Re: [RFC: Rewriting of the GNUstep User FAQ, specifically re: Frameworks]

[Nicola Pero]

> Folks,
> 
> Since people (see http://osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=10182&limit=no 
> )are actually reading the GNUstep User FAQ  (see 
> http://www.gnustep.org/resources/documentation/User/GNUstep/userfaq_1.html 
>   ), and the information in it regarding Frameworks is IMHO grossly out 
> of date, I'd like to propose that it be revised to reflect the current 
> state of Frameworks and also the fact that our pseudo-frameworks now 
> work under windows,

Ahm ... not yet, but they will soon ;-)



> as well as describe what is required for "true" framework support (eg, 
> linker and compiler support, binary format enhancement to ELF, etc)
> and perhaps even mention that Matt Rice has done some work towards this
> goal and to contact him if anyone is interested in it.
> 
> What do you think?

Interesting suggestion -- I looked at the FAQ, and probably the
question/answer is not clear, I think the question should be 'Why not use
frameworks for the core libraries ?' ... and then the current answer
starts to make lot more sense ;-)

Frameworks remain a hot topic because some people love them, and some
other people hate them.

I think the general policy should that frameworks are supported (with
hacks / "pseudo-framework" implementation / "real framework"  
implementation when we get it) and we try to make them working on all
platforms.  So if you love frameworks, you are welcome to use them.  
Maybe we should write this clearly somewhere in the FAQ.  Frameworks are
OK and you're welcome to use them if you love them.

On the other hand, frameworks are considerable more complicated and
unnatural / difficult to port than libraries/bundles, so we want to avoid
using them in core libraries, and we try to provide alternatives (using
libraries / bundles) for people who don't want to use frameworks.

Eg, even if we get "real framework" support under GNU/Linux, I would still
keep the core libraries as libraries on GNU/Linux, because the "real
framework" support wouldn't necessarily work on all past/future machines,
will depend on linker support etc.

Thanks