Re: [platform-swt-dev] Support for JSR-198 (was SWT port for Swing!)

["Liyu Liu" <liyul@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I agree again.  That is going to require a JSR to go through the JCP.
> And part of that effort is bound to the requirement for a SWT
> implementation that is 100% Pure Java, at least back to the level of JDK
> 1.2 compatibility (JDK 1.1 would be even better).

//sigh. 100% Java has been a great FUD tool by XXXX in some ways.
Lousy JNI -- 100% Java (implicitly remind you of SUNW)
Lousey AWT/Swing -- 100% Java (implicitly remind you of SUNW)

An open source project like SWT won't die too easily, like goes BSD...,
though it may be sidelined by commercial and politics interests.

The deal is there are needs for responsive UI and people can take control
of the capability provided by native systems. And there are times some
project has to be able to better use underlying system. After all,
there are Java developers and there are Windows/Linux/MacOS developers,
they may not want to use or wait for an emulation layer while they are
also Java developers.

SWT gave people the choice so that they don't have to put up with AWT,
and the license term is so much better. If we can build SWT so easily and
distribute it with any "standard" JavaVM, 100% SUNW Java concern is not
a big deal for developer. It will gradually convince those non-developer
decision makers as they see the benefit and absurdity of insisting "100%
pure"
that precludes even standard JNI and Java.

However, SWT seemed to be a level too low for some more interests.
If they are a component framework and healthy market (be it 100% JavaBean
or not...) SWT will be much more popular than today, than any marketing
or PR can buy. After all, even the weight of Microsoft cannot push ActiveX
as a viable way of Internet development. Nor would the might of SUN kill
the SWT. My personal biggest fear is without a good way of address these,
SWT
may have to change the design and interface dramatically, thus kill early
followers because they have to rewrite their code.

Also SWT actually complement well with Swing (If we made AWT run
on top of it and port the few heavy weight widgets). Unfortunately, we
haven't
seen the source for these in CPL joining eclipse yet. If third parties
compete
to get their proprietory implementations prevail and fragmented the market,
the adoption of a standard SWT would be hard.

It's better keep the momentum of SWT rather than continuing arguing and
fearing.
More standard widgets, Java2D, components as well as better developer
education materials are what sorely needed for prospering of SWT.

Just my humble 2 cents.

Luke