Re: [Orbit-python-list] Hello?

[Jason T. <ta...@li...>]

> Hello people,

Bonjour Roland. :)

> found about ORBit, and then I found about PyOrbit ant ORBit-Python.  I
> experimented a bit with PyOrbit, but even its authors agree that it is
> "fairly immature at the moment".

I talked with the PyORBit maintainer a while back, and he said he has
very little time to do any active development on the project, and since
ORBit-Python has fulfilled most of their goals, I fear we may not see
much from that project in a little while.

>   So, I switch over to ORBit-Python.  The problem is that at some
> point in my project I will probably have a use for wide chars and
> strings, which are apparently not yet implemented.  The website lists

Wide char/strings aren't the most requested feature to be honest (you're the
first person to request it), so they got put near the end of the priority
list.  Plus, wide types don't map very nicely to Python (like fixed), so they
require a lot more work than say a string or float type.  

> Is the project sort of asleep?  Are these features susceptible to be
> completed at some time in the (reasonably near) future?

I haven't had much time to do any development in the last month, since I
was horribly busy with exams and finishing up last minute assignments and
project (I'm such an awful procrastinator).  Now I'm finished school, and
in the next couple weeks I'll be moving.  Once that's out of my way, I plan
to resume work on ORBit-Python.  I especially want to start the Interface
Repository bindings, and wrap Gnorba so that it's more useful to the GNOME
project.  So, the project certainly isn't dead, at least in intentions. :)

>   Yeah, I know, I can implement them and then send a patch.  Well, I
> may do so.  I haven't used CORBA yet, let alone mingled with the
> bowels of an ORB.  But if I get to understand what it is I have to do,
> and how I can do it, I no doubt will.

I dare say most of the hard stuff has been implemented already -- at least
the tricky infrastructure parts.  Patches are of course happily accepted, but
I'll reevaluate where the wide types belong in my TODO list.  Since no one
has asked for the fixed type, I'll likely at least do the wide types first.

>   But before I dive deep into the ORB, I'd like to know about the
> status of the project.  Dead?  Asleep?  Author holidays?  Merged with
> something else?

It will be asleep for probably two more weeks, until I'm all moved.  That is
to say, I won't be adding any new features.  But I am alive and easily
reachable over email (or on this list) if you have any questions or bug
reports.

Best wishes,
Jason.

--
Unix/Network Administrator
Algoma University College
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
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