Re: GUnique [Was: gnome-utils branched for GNOME 2.16]

["Elijah Newren" <newren gmail com>]

On 9/21/06, Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org> wrote:
> Before recommending that everyone use GUnique, could we define a
> migration path for it to enter the platform? We really don't need yet another
> shared library, and yet another module to release, and yet another separate
> API to learn. Is this API appropriate for GTK+ and adaptable for use with
> Windows and OS X?
>
> Can we use it as-is (or as well-defined cut'n'paste code) in GNOME 2.18 and
> plan towards migrating to a GTK+ 2.12 version in GNOME 2.20? Let's at least
> have a plan for it, otherwise we're just adding yet another [as above] with
> little active thought for our users, distributors and platform consumers.

You're asking all the right questions.  Unfortunately, I don't have
complete answers.

IIRC (which is questionable), the biggest potential issue with it
being in GTK+ was its IPC mechanism.  In fact, Vytautas decided to put
two IPC mechanisms into it partially because of this (Matthias was not
sure GTK+ was ready to depend on D-Bus yet, so Vytas made it possible
to use either D-Bus or Bacon, chosen at compile time).

I agree that we don't really want another shared library, long term.
Luckily, it should be easy to update apps when GUnique becomes part of
some other library, as the code required to use GUnique is pretty
small.  As to how we get there, though, Matthias and others with more
knowledge of the platform stack will need to comment.

Elijah