[Kde-windows] general question about win32 port

[Ralf Habacker]

Am Donnerstag, 27. Oktober 2005 00:37 schrieb Jarosław Staniek:
> Ralf Habacker said the following, On 2005-10-26 23:57:
> > currently there are some people working on the bksys build system for a
> > win32 port of KDE.
>
> Just my 2 eurocents:
>
> I must be ugly here and mentione this again: I only think about port of
> kdelibs and some other libraries. Thus, IMO this is mostly offer for
> developers. If so, end-users will look at the project as a (sub)set of KDE
> applications, not as a replacement for their desktop.
>
> Sorry if this is obvious; Ralf knows this position well, but if anybody
> wanted to see some more explanation, see here:
> http://wiki.kdenews.org/tiki-index.php?page=KDElibs+for+win32

I know this and the thread is not to hurt, but I like to know what people 
think overall. You will attract users with applications not with frameworks 
(at least in the beginning), so it is important to have good applications 
from the beginning, some real killer apps like kdevelop.  If users will see 
them *and* they are good, they will ask 'With which was this developed - 'KDE 
framework'  aha - and it is platform independent, open source and  lgpl 
licensed - where can I get it'  and then it's your turn. :-)

>  > I'm working personally on the mingw port using the official qt4
> >
> > gpled port for windows. Others are working on an MS Visual C++ port using
> > the QT4 extension from qtwin.sf.net.
> >
> > In the past a win32 port was discussed very controversial (I remember a
> > long blog thread of Aaron Seigo, a zdnet.uk interview I had and several
> > other threads). In  the last time i see more and more, that people and
> > companies like this idea (as for example Aaron has reported) .
> >
> > Because this port enters a new level for KDE, I (and probably other) like
> > to be prepared best for this way in legal and other issues.
> >
> > Relating to this I have some question:
> >
> > 1. what the KDE people think about the state the win32 port has
> > 	- full integrated into the present kde community protected by the KDE
> > e.V.
>
> We're not talking about fork, so this is reasonable choice, right?... The
> code is in the same source tree since 2004.
> OTOH, Legal issues could be something to think about within KDE e.V....
>
> > 	- partial integrated (topics has to be defined)
> > 	- not integrated, full independent project without any support and/or
> > 	  relation in any way
>
> This could be a bit damaging for KDE (also as a brand), because of lack of
> consistency.
>
> > depending on topic 1, there are additional topics:
> >
> > 2. where to place public informations about this port (like porting
> > state, how-tos and so on)
> > 	- integrated into KDE website
>
> Integration with kde.org (without "polluting" by very-win32-specific
> content) looks reasonable to me.
>
> > 	- separate website like www.kdelibs.com or kde-windows.sf.net or so
>
> (Note: kdelibs.com is my effort, highlighting developemnt platform
> advantages, devoted to solutions built on top of it, and so on). There're
> many KDE-related (or partially related) web sites so having some more
> couldn't harm. The point could be that there shouldn't be many concurrent
> "official" sites.
>
> > 3. using kde bug reporting system (I remember for kde-cygwin people sends
> > bug to the kde bug system and got mainly negative feedback)
> > 	- possible
> > 	- better use a separate bugtracking system
>
> All depends how accurate are our reporters. It's equally wrong when
> somebody forgot to mention she/he is running into troubles with KDE app on
> *BSD and not on Linux _as_ with KDE app on win32 and not Linux.
> Can we expect win32 users will waste KDE bug buster's time by reporting
> duplicates or nonsenses? Maybe. But also maybe these users have more
> interesting things to do.
>
> > 4. where to place download area
> > 	- main kde mirrors
>
> That's natural. What should we separate?

regards
 Ralf