Re: Proposal: Motif Widget set
Wait. Let me backup. I'm proposing...
gk4> I'm not saying that all GUI applications on Linux must use Motif.
gk4> Rather, applications that use Motif on Linux are LSB compliant
gk4> using the shared library /opt/dt/lib/libXm.so.
Therefore, it is not *required* for GUI applications and it is still free
on Linux. So, why can't it be in the LSB specification? It is
open-source-like relative to Linux.
>From the point of view with respect to the adoption of GUIs. Let's stay
for arguments sake that both Motif and the Andrew widget sets are LSB
adoptable. The LSB should adopt both under a mutually exclusive use rule.
Your applications can dynamically link to one or the other, but not both.
The same would be true for OpenGL versus graPHIGS. :-)
George Kraft IV
gk4@us.ibm.com
512-838-2688; t/l 678-2688
IBM Linux Technology Center & Linux Standards
http://oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/linux/
---------------------- Forwarded by George Kraft/Austin/IBM on 05/17/2000
09:39 AM ---------------------------
George Kraft
05/17/2000 09:32 AM
To: lsb-spec@lists.linuxbase.org
cc:
From: George Kraft/Austin/IBM@IBMUS
Subject: Re: Proposal: Motif Widget set (Document link: Database 'George
Kraft', View '($Sent)')
> Open Motif *is not* open source software:
Agreed. Dan Quinlan pointed out to me that Open Motif would need to take
a more non discriminatory position like the OSD license. Therefore, Open
Motif is not currently eligible to be included in the LSB specification.
http://www.opensource.org/osd.html
Let's not get into a demographics war over the Motif Widget set versus
other GUIs. Many commercial applications and customers use Motif, and
lets leave it at that. The problem is that if it is not in the LSB spec,
then applications must link it statically to be LSB compliant. This
needlessly burdens both the developers and the consumers.
I'm not saying that all GUI applications on Linux must use Motif. Rather,
applications that use Motif on Linux are LSB compliant using the shared
library /opt/dt/lib/libXm.so.
Motif has a mature software base, mature test suite, and written
specification/documentation. The Motif source is now out in the clear.
Divergence is a possibility. It is our responsibility to protect its
integrity through LSB adoption.
However, as mentioned in the first sentence, this is pointless for now
because of the Open Motif license. Although, I will bring up this topic
again if TOG changes the license agreement to something more favorable.
George Kraft IV
gk4@us.ibm.com
512-838-2688; t/l 678-2688
IBM Linux Technology Center & Linux Standards
http://oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/linux/
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