Re: [OmTdev] User interface merryness alias Feedback wanted (long)

[Jean-Christophe H. <fu...@mx...>]

Zoltan,

Thank you for your always valuable input :)

Let's agree that the current GUI has problems related to the use of  
Swing.

How do you evaluate the following items for each of the proposals you  
made:

1- the time it will take
2- the stability of the result
3- the overall balance between 1, 2 and the end user needs
4- the fun you'll have doing all that

I think the most important item is 4. By "fun", I mean something  
beyond mere "fun", more like "how much satisfaction will you derive  
from your work, considering that end users are generally _not_  
grateful and will most probably won't understand much about what the  
whole fuss is about".

If one solution allows you to get a nice balance between 4. and the  
result of 3. then it should be the option you choose. Which does not  
imply a direct involvement in OmegaT but, as you suggest, a possible  
involvement in the upward processes.

My personal comments, as a total non-programmer are as follows:

-use of libraries is a non issue since we are already using libraries  
and we will use more of them in the future, that is the whole point  
of FOSS.
-use of GPL _compatible_ processes is a requirement.
-obtain native code at the end of the process would be great if that  
means general performance improvement.

If the GUI is to be modified that much, I think it would be very  
valuable to draft specifications to include a number of GUI related  
RFEs too.

Now I have questions about a few items:

> C) dive into the implementation of Classpath
> + may lead to success
> + is GPL
> + allows compilation into native code
> - time consuming, maybe more than we would need to

Isn't Classpath already evolving at a steady pace ?

> Da) Make OmegaT SwingWT-compatible.
> + OmegaT may use native libraries
> - give up the extra functionality
> - need of an external library

What "extra functionality" should be given up ?

> F) rewrite the UI in Trolltech's Qt/Jambi
> + new interface that uses native libraries on every platform Qt  
> runs on
> + comes with a great GUI designer
> + GPL
> - need to rewrite the interface
> - external library

It looks like the most feasible of all the options you list, doesn't  
it ?

Jean-Christophe Helary