OSNews > Thread > "Who's going to use it?" by pxa270

Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 24th Dec 2007 20:18 UTC

"The GNUstep Windows installer is based on the MinGW system and consists of the basic MSYS and MinGW libraries, other library dependancies and the GNUstep Core packages (gnustep-make, gnustep-base, gnustep-gui, and gnustep-back). The installer installs GNUstep onto most varieties of Windows (see below for tested installations) and sets up the computer to make it easy to run GNUstep applications. It is based on the NSIS installer."

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Who's going to use it?

by pxa270 on Mon 24th Dec 2007 22:39 UTC

Member since:
2006-01-08

Honestly, who's going to use it on Windows of all platforms? GNUStep doesn't have killer apps to entice Windows users, and apps appear even more alien in Windows than any Gtk+ app ever did. Even on its native Linux environment as a developer toolkit it's far overshadowed in mindshare by Gtk+/Gnome and Qt/KDE. As a cross platform compatibility layer for OS X Cocoa apps it lags too far behind the Apple libraries and does not seem to be catching up.

The project really seems to be headed for a dead end (or a vanishing niche) to me, regardless of coolness or technical merits. This may sound like flamebait, but I think it's just a realistic assessment of the market. (Yes, even FOSS projects have markets. Even if they don't get money, they still need active users and developers to stay alive.)

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RE: Who's going to use it?

by Myrd on Tue 25th Dec 2007 01:48 in reply to "Who's going to use it?"

Member since:
2006-01-05

On the contrary, I think as the Mac is getting more and more popular, and more developers make Mac-only apps (there's already a ton), some may wish to port these to other platforms, without a complete rewrite.

GNUStep may be the solution to their needs (depending on the coverage of the Mac OS X APIs).

Edited 2007-12-25 01:49

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RE[2]: Who's going to use it?

by Sodki on Tue 25th Dec 2007 02:45 in reply to "RE: Who's going to use it?"

Member since:
2005-11-10

Also, some people are forced to use Windows on their workplace. Until KDE apps can run on Windows (I prefer GNOME, but... whatever), this could be a great addition.

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RE: Who's going to use it?

by KugelKurt on Tue 25th Dec 2007 09:19 in reply to "Who's going to use it?"

Member since:
2005-07-06

Nobody on Windows can use it if there's no Windows installer. At least now the possibility to use it is there.

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RE: Who's going to use it?

by macman on Tue 25th Dec 2007 20:14 in reply to "Who's going to use it?"

Member since:
2006-11-19

The read advantage for everyone is that developers can develop in the comfort of a Unix environment like Mac or Linux, then spend a little bit of time tweaking the program and create a windows version instead of the other way around. Your Mac apps look and behaves native, and there is really no such thing as a Windows native feel (just look at the differences even amongst all the MS apps).

The sad fact is that a large number of people are forced to use windows for one reason or another, and with GNUStep, you can still use Objective-C and Windows users can use your programs.

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RE[2]: Who's going to use it?

by transputer_guy on Thu 27th Dec 2007 14:41 in reply to "Who's going to use it?"

Member since:
2005-07-08

Some developers like choices even if there isn't the time to try everything of interest right now. These GNUstep ObjC articles stick in the back of my mind so if I do get a Mac system this will give me one more cross platform avenue back to Windows.

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