I think in terms of both. Both are important to get developers to
come to GNUstep.
One of the things GNUstep needs most is developers. We need to get
them any way we can.
IMO, the key misunderstanding here continues to be in that despite all
it's claims to the contrary... GNUstep, as it is today, cannot, and
must not be _only_ a development environment. GNUstep must evolve into
an entire desktop environment, and yes, perhaps an entire OS
specification. The GNUstep project planners try very hard to make sure
everyone knows that GNUstep is only a development environment. In
order to be successful, I feel that GNUstep must, in fact, become an OS
or desktop specification instead. It must be a full package. Then,
users will come to it... and when the users are here... the developers
will follow.
GNUstep is *not* at this time anywhere near complete as a desktop
environment. To be there, you need working packages for all platforms,
you need a GWorkspace that comes configured out of the box and is easy
to use, you need mail packaged and included, and you need a web
browser. EToile has made big strides in this area. GNUstep + Etoile
is nearly usable!
The only way for GNUstep to remain strictly a development environment
is if it gives up all the things that make GNUstep great... ie: app
bundles, alt-c/alt-v etc copy/paste etc... and instead develops skins
to fit the various platforms as good GUI citizens, and makes the
GNUstep applications seem like they fit whatever they are currently
running in. This is a *monumental* task... Java has tried to do this
and failed for years. Do it if you want, but I think you won't get
there any time soon.
Now I'm not saying I wouldn't love to have the ability to theme my app
and make it work on windows for those poor saps who have to run that
OS... BUT... if you want the short path to success... I think focus on
making a real, honest to goodness, easy to use and modern desktop for
Linux/BSD. KDE and Gnome just don't cut it.
All of this IMO... YMMV... IANAL... etc etc etc... flames > /dev/null
I am sure someone will tell me how they use GNUstep every day for
everything and it's a great desktop environment... Sorry if you feel
that way... I have struggled for nearly a year now to use GNUstep as my
main desktop, and only recently through Etoile and some other add- ons
have I been able to get it even close to reasonably usable... and that
was after MUCH mucking around and wasting of time. We need preferences
apps... and packages... and... well you get the idea.
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