[news.eclipse.tools] Re: KDE and GNOME interfaces

[David Goodenough <david.goodenough@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

McQ wrote:

>> The value is consistancy, we (the users) only have to learn one API and
>> we do not have to worry about level dependancies as the KDE provided
>> java binding will always be in step with the KDE that it is shipped with.
>>
> Either I'm misunderstanding you, or visa versa. You learn *one* API and
> you get something that runs on win32, kde, gtk, etc. This is *more*
> consistancy not less.
> 
> btw, if you feel you are getting added benefit from the java KDE binding
> *and* you intend to build a plugin which only works on KDE, there's
> nothing stopping you from doing so.
> 
> McQ.
Yes I think you are misunderstanding me.  Having multiple APIs that do
the same job is a quick route to problems.  You cut out the bit that
pointed out that we do NOT want to have to stop at a particular KDE
because it is not binary compatible (or source when it is released under
a suitable licence) and have to wait for you to recompile your stuff or
for someone to update the source.  You also ommitted the bit where I
pointed out that your APIs are proving less platform independant that 
is needed.  There is another thread where there are problems because 
under Windows a value is a handle and under Linux it is a pointer - 
so much for one common API.

There is one other merit in using an existing API, even if it is under
the covers.  That way you have to write less code, which means that
Eclipse is smaller and that you can get on with writing other things
rather than reinventing a perfectly good wheel.

Code reuse is seen as a Good Thing (TM) in both the OO world (i.e. Java)
and the Linux (and Unix) world.