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[eclipse.org-membership-at-large] Technology Project Declaration: Desktop Integration Project

Title: Bjorn Freeman
As per the Eclipse Development Process, we are notifying the Eclipse Membership-at-Large of the intent to propose the Desktop Integration Project as a Technology sub-project. A brief description of the project is below. A draft project proposal is at http://www.eclipse.org/proposals/eclipse-dip/index.html


Data Integration Project
Much of the technical success of the Eclipse Platform can be attributed to its practical integration and use of platform specific services and technologies. The most notable of these is the Standard Window Toolkit (SWT), which uses platform specific user interface technologies where possible to delivery a high quality, native, user interface experience. Other platform-specific Eclipse features include: a partial OLE/COM bridge, the SWT_AWT bridge for co-hosting Swing / AWT and SWT user-interfaces within one another, the embedded Eclipse Internet Explorer Web Browser, and recent SWT mechanisms for interacting with the Windows System Tray and creating custom shaped windows.

Eclipse demonstrates the tremendous value available to Java developers when local services and technologies are integrated into a Java framework or application in an intelligent and user-centered manner. The number of platform-specific integration requirements is expected to increase as a result of the growing popularity of the RCP and its positive influence in a renewed effort to deliver native Java desktop applications.

Unlike many of the Eclipse proposals, whose technical and implementation scope is limited to pure Java technologies, this project concentrates on enhancing Eclipse through the use of non-Java technologies and services. Specifically, this project seeks out opportunities to integrate high-quality native services and technologies that will significantly benefit the Eclipse developer community.

We foresee this project serving as an incubator for technologies and techniques used by the Eclipse Platform team, supplemental technologies, frameworks, RCP application developers that need tighter integration, and for native application developers that seek to leverage Eclipse technologies within their products.

We look forward to input and discussion from the Eclipse community.
--
Bjorn Freeman-Benson
Technical Director, Open Source Process and Infrastructure
Eclipse Foundation
voice:  971-327-7323
fax:  971-327-7320
email:  bjorn.freeman-benson@xxxxxxxxxxx
    

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