Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!ico!auto-trol!marbru From: marbru@auto-trol.UUCP (Martin Brunecky) Newsgroups: comp.windows.x Subject: Re: toolkit Message-ID: <443@auto-trol.UUCP> Date: 28 Nov 89 18:30:57 GMT References: <1989Nov20.221807.23785@arp.anu.oz.au> <1532@riscy.dec.com> Reply-To: ncar!ico!auto-trol!marbru (Martin Brunecky) Organization: Auto-trol Technology, Denver Lines: 50 In article <1532@riscy.dec.com> graham@fuel.dec.com (kris graham) writes: > >> From article <10431@xanth.cs.odu.edu>, by lfl@cs.odu.edu (Lianfang Liu): >> > Does anybody know: >> > Why is there no standard toolkit for x window ? > >This discussion has the potential for a big 'rathole' ;^) .... Most of us simply assume that the "standard" will be Xt Intrinsics based, be it Xaw, Motif, Xt-OpenLook ... There are many things that make a product the REAL, SUCCESSFULL standard, and I don't want to list them all here... One potential problem I see with Xt Intrinsics based "standard" is that it is specified/implemented by a widget set. However, ANY widget set will NOT cover everyone's needs. Thus, people will have to be able to SUBCLASS of one or other member of the "standard" widget set hierarchy. And here is the problem: - you need source to be able to subclass (at least xxxP.h files) - the "standard" widget set members MUST NOT make assumptions about other widgets in the set, since otherwise they are "closed". Currently, Xaw provides source availability, and does NOT make (too many) assumptions about other widgets. Hoewer, it's functionality is kind-of limited, so I doubt it can make it as the "standard". Motif offers source (if you can justify $1000) However, Motif widget set is tied together by zilions of assumptions about widget set members, making any additions to Motif quite difficult. And once you have to modify the "standard" Motif widgets to cooperate with your add-on one, where is the standard ? DECwindows XUI lost the battle by being "private". Plus, many of the problematic "features" of Motif (such as tight coupling of widget set, hidden shells etc.) have their roots in XUI. I can not comment on the Xt Open Look - I have troubles to justify $$$$ to see the code. May be one day.... So for now, even though I wish there was a single standard for the toolkit, I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I wished Motif was "IT", but, as I said, it has some "features" that prevent me to believe it will "make it". -- ############################################################################### Martin Brunecky, Auto-trol Technology Corporation, 12500 North Washington Street, Denver, CO-80241-2404 (303) 252-2499 ncar!ico!auto-trol!marbru