Re: SEUL: Re: What's the diff to SEUL ?

[Kai Wetzel <k.wetzel@welfen-netz.com>]

Erik Walthinsen wrote:
[...|
> As I have said before, Qt could go 100%
> commercial tomorrow, and where would that leave you?  (granted, it wouldn't
> leave you any worse of directly, but how about KDE?)

> If e-Linux wishes to remain on the Qt path, so be it.  Just don't be overly
> surprised when KDE kicks the bucket and e-Linux gets to start all over again.

While I'm the last to work on Qt-based applications myself,
I understand that those who do don't think Qt will change
the "free" license in the near future and I don't see the
practicle impacts as the main reason to avoid Qt (we're
not talking about 5 years from now, anyway ;°)

> The reason Debian and RHAD are pumping resources into GNOME is because they
> believe that it is the best *long-term* strategy to take.  I agree with both
> of them, which is why I am pushing very hard towards working with Debian and
> GNOME to get SEUL out faster.

Just a personal remark I have to make again ;^) :
While I think GNOME is a great project for the Free
Software community, I have the impression that many
people feal that GNOME is _the_ GUI of the future and
that other Free desktop projects just "add more
fragmentation" or so.  Furthermore, I have the impression
that the "why don't you commit yourself to GNOME
instead"-wave is just beginnning and I expect things
to get worse (I hope I'm wrong).

Please keap in mind that there are Free desktop projects
out there besides from GNOME and even though the SEUL,
RedHat, and Debian seem to strongly favor the GNOME,
the other projects are Free Software, too, and should
at least be respected as such :O)

[...]
> It may not be so much that issue, but the cost for developers.  And that, in
> the long run, is a tremendous cost to Linux.
[...]
Well, I think we agree that the KDE (no matter how nice it
is) will not dominate the Linux desktop as long as the
Qt issue remains intact.  However, I think some of the
KDE developers are great programmers who have written
very nice code which is easy to read and maintain.
This way people will be able to incorporate portions
of KDE applications and libraries into their efforts
(GNOME, etc.) and thus the KDE will have been a good
thing for Free Software eventually.
 
> > As for developers, while QT's fee seems huge to use individuals, it's
> > really not all that big if you consider how much labor can be saved.
> How is GNOME any different?  A toolkit is a toolkit, +-.  Personally, I
> wouldn't even *consider* spending $5000 on Qt when I can use GNOME for free.

Well, _I_ couldn't afford > $1000, either.  However,
a toolkit is not a toolkit :O)  People tend to have
different preferences here IMO.  E.g. if there only
was the MFC, I'd rather learn to implement database
engines then spend a single day working with it on a GUI
app again :O)  (Othe people like the MFC I've heard)

[...]
kai