Re: Prototype: AbiWord using libgsf

From: Dom Lachowicz (domlachowicz@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Oct 27 2003 - 15:04:57 EST

  • Next message: Jody Goldberg: "Re: Prototype: AbiWord using libgsf"

    Hi Jordi,

    > It will be cool to have a detailed list of which
    > things exactly libgsf is
    > supposed to abstract.

    GSF's code is in cvs.gnome.org under the module
    'libgsf'. The two abstracted bits are GsfInput and
    GsfOutput.

    > In some cases, the best way of archiving this goal
    > may be to follow the
    > Abiword model, that is, XP + platform indepedent
    > code. For example, you define
    > an API that you need to use Internet related
    > protocols. Under Unix it can be
    > just a wrapper over libcurl, in win32 just a wrapper
    > over wininet, and so on
    > other platforms.
    >
    > In other cases, we may just have an XP code common
    > to all platforms and add a
    > new library dependacy.
    >
    > I think that we should be open about this, to let
    > people have whatever is more
    > efficient and natural in their platform.
    >
    > What does not sense to me is to emulate under win32
    > features that are already
    > provided by the operating system.

    This is *exactly* what GSF does. GsfInput and
    GsfOutput are entirely abstract interfaces. They are
    implemented in terms of platform-specific code or code
    from some other library.

    Please understand this - we *don't* want to emulate
    things that are already in the Operating System. We
    want to use those operating system factilities where
    they do exist. We want to implement subclasses of
    GsfInput and GsfOuput in terms of the OS specific
    solutions.

    This means using GnomeVFS on Gnome. KIOSlaves on KDE.
    IStream and ADODB::Stream on windows, etc...

    This library was designed to fit in perfectly with the
    host operating system. Please, pretty please try to
    see that. Don't get caught up with "libcurl" or
    anything - it'd be an optional dependency, and one
    that you wouldn't have to install on win32, though you
    would be able to do so if you wished.

    Best regards,
    Dom

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