I disagree that porting applications will be the nail in its own coffin. Take Gimp and Gaim for instance. 1st, many people use these on Linux and Windows, therefore it is EASIER for them to move to linux in the future because the they trust the apps and know their quality. It also almost immediately makes them want to go with Gnome and not KDE. Whats Kopete? Its like GAIM, but they know GAIM so they use it. Also, if people know these same open source apps they trust and use on Windows are available on Linux with a bunch of other apps as well it may well be the nail in the coffin for Windows and not Linux Desktops. KDE needs this more than GNOME. On 4/6/07, Rajko M. wrote:

On Friday 06 April 2007 02:49, Abstract wrote:

...

All,

I have been reading a lot about KDE lately and the one thing that always got me was that none of the GREAT KDE apps were available to run on Windows (or other operating systems). For example, you have Gimp, GAIM, VLC ( i know its not gnome based, but an example of another great app) which all run on Linux and windows.

The application development for different platform is a lot of work to rewrite the code to compile and run on that platform. Even for similar platforms from Unix Like camp that is not simple. After release someone has to keep code up to date, which is not simple either as whole Linux ecosystem is running target.

Your examples will ask for installed GTk interface for windows.

If someone wants to do that there is no barriers that prevents volunteers like in proprietary solutions.

...

With the release of KDE4 there has been talk of being able to run apps cross platform so we could see the explosion of such things as amarok (every time I use it, i am just stunned , it is fantastic) , Kopete, or any other KDE specific app.

Expression "Cross platform" doesn't automatically include platforms that are created to be different, isolated development space. While to you as user it seems similar, under the hood it is very different and it would ask for complete rewrite of the code.

...

Is this in the plan for the future? If Evolution and Amarok were cross platform it would be another nail in the coffin (many more to go) for closed source apps.

What is the purpose? KDE is created to promote usability of Linux; a better OS solution. Porting applications will be the nail in own coffin. ...

-- Regards, Rajko. http://en.opensuse.org/Portal -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

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