Re: [boost] Re: Re: GUI/GDI template library

From: E. Gladyshev (egladysh_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-07-25 21:27:11

[...]
> I am not trying to discourage you on working on such
> a project but the

Thanks for your comments.
Don't worry, this is why I posted it here, to hear
what other people think.

[...]
> works for Windows, Linux,
> Unix flavors, MacIntosh, VMS, OS2, and whatever else
> OSs Boost supports.

The library itself won't care/know about all the
systems. It would be up to the developer to provide a
relevant template parameter that defines the required
GUI/GDI traits (the traits for couple of the most
popular systems could be included in the first
distrubution).

[...]
> Think of more complicated widgets which have been
> developed like tree views,
> page controls, list views, track bars, toolbars,
> edit controls, combo boxes,
> and many others. 

I don't think that there are too many standard
widgets, just about 20.

> Add to this the fact that nearly every C++
> programmer already works with a
> framework library depending on his implementation of
> choice. 

You could have made the same argument before STL was
invented. Nearly every C++ programmer already worked
with some sort of private containers/algorithms.

> The amount of code which must be
> written often becomes negligible by the programmer
> after the design time
> interfaces have been set up. 

It was not exactly my experience.  The ammount of code
just to manage the GUI states and data transfer
between GUI structures and internal application
reperesentations is huge.

> RAD and RAD-like tools for manipulation of a library
> entirely by code.

Yes, it is not intended for RAD developers like VB
forms and such.

> 
> Finally many C++ programmers, being the creators
> that they are, have already
> invented C++ template-based mechanisms to use on top
> of the GUI/GDI
>...
> programmers adopting your implementation as opposed
> to what they have
> already been using.
> 

Again, the same argument could have been made about
building STL.

Eugene

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