Re: Is GTK+ a cross-platform toolkit ?

[tarnyko tarnyko net]

Paul Davis writes: 

> On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 6:56 PM, <tarnyko tarnyko net> wrote: 
>
> > Hi folks,
> > The subject of this mail is taken from the corresponding thread on
> > "gtk-list". The thread itself (a few days old) can be read here :
> > https://mail.gnome.org/**archives/gtk-list/2013-**February/msg00055.html<https://mail.gnome.org/archives/gtk-list/2013-February/msg00055.html>
> > I think the question is relevant to gtk-devel.
> > In short, we are questioning the lack of an official GTK+3 Bundle on Win32
> > ; such bundles exist in the wild, but we think GTK+ should better advertise
> > its cross-platform nature.
> > Another problem is the difficulty to bring the topic to someone "in
> > charge" (for what it stands here). Hoping to have some feedback guys. 
>
> give it up. or at least *read* the archives. 
>
> summary: 
>
>    * GTK+ is cross-platform to the extent that there are people willing to
> step up and help maintain ports to various platforms.
>    * if by cross-platform you mean "there are binary releases for platform
> X", then no, you're not likely to see that for several platform
>    * binary releases for non-Linux platforms are not necessarily a good idea
>    * there are very few people around interested in and with the time to
> maintain the windows or OS X ports 
>
> this is an open source, under-funded, under-manned project. if you want to
> change that, then finding actual man-hours to put into it (yours or someone
> else's) will go a LOT further than mailing about it. 
>
> oh, and there is no-one "in charge" when it comes to non-Linux releases. 
>
> --p

Hi Paul, 

"this is an open source, under-funded, under-manned project." 

I understand that fully. 

"if you want to change that, then finding actual man-hours to put into it 
(yours or someone else's) will go a LOT further than mailing about it." 

Well here, we have some people already having done actual work, and wanting 
to pull it. Me for example. 

You are saying that the subject has already been debated, and that "binary 
releases for non-Linux platforms are not necessarily a good idea" (I'm 
digging the archives right now). Why ? There have been GTK+2 bundles 
available for download on http://www.gtk.org for some time now. 

(We're speaking policy here, but to support my point in technical terms :
- my reusable GTK+3 build environment : 
http://www.tarnyko.net/repo/gtk3_build_system/ ;
- sample bundle I have produced : http://www.tarnyko.net/en/?q=node/20) 

Regards,
Tarnyko