Policy for Dependencies

[Christoph Cullmann]

Hi,
> Well, sure, stuff can break. However, without changes like this, KDE's
> Frameworks libraries are _not fit for purpose_. These libraries _can not
> be used_ by the intended user group, that is application developers,
> except for the tiny minority that only targets Linux, and only cares
> about having their applications packaged by distributions. As for Krita,
> we currently maintain builds for three distributions, and I can't wait
> for the day we can have a generic linux build like Blender and Firefox.
> 
> I've talked myself hoarse selling frameworks to dozens of interested
> people at the QtWS in Berlin, none of whom cared about how Linux
> distributions would package their software, but I'm honestly going to have
> to copy a bunch of code and cut it down, instead of using the libraries
> them- selves. Claiming, as people have done in the past, that that's
> because my attitude is bad or because I refuse to do the right thing
> is wrong-headed. People who make a library must make it fit for use,
> and not demand that their target users adapt or skip using it.
> 
> I have to agree with Harald here though, I would also expect
> the frameworks to be bunch of pre-built dlls you just install
> system-wide and build on top of that, not create your own
> custom builds of everything, for every app with different features
> combo. At which point this all wouldn't be so much of a problem
> I believe.
Sorry, that is more than unrealistic ;=)

I am now around 10 years maintaining both the continous integration system
and the packaging of our applications at the company for Linux + Windows and no,
you can't even rely on having a global Qt around on your target and you install
no libraries system wide, that just cries for problems.

Any non-distro package will need to ship the libs on its own and it will need
to compile them on its own, as you need to have the right libs around
for exactly your compiler (on windows even more so than on mac, no, no visual
studio version is compatible and you actually want even to use the same patch
level/hotfix/CTP/...)

That might be not nice, but that is the reality. If the current trend of "we use
containers for everything" continues, you will even more or less ship half
a system with your thingy in that container ;=)

At the moment for us that means, we ship a own shared library Qt.

If we want to use some frameworks, we will need to build + ship them, too.

Same hold for other people doing "standalone" applications, even free ones like Krita.
And yes, it is a hassle and it is work I could really be happy to get off my
hands but I doubt a magic solution will arrive.

Therefore my goal for frameworks is to make them actually as easy usable
for people in that situation. We advertise that a lot everywhere but at the
moment that is just not true beside for really simple stuff like "karchive".

But back to my proposal.

Alex Merry seems to be ok with the idea, thought my variable name choice is bad ;=)
Lets see if David agrees, too, then I would like to move forward with this,
if that would be alright.

Greetings
Christoph

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----------------------------- Dr.-Ing. Christoph Cullmann ---------
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