[sword-devel] Re: [sword-devel]Squeak Sword UI

[Jimmie Houchin]

gprideau@odyssey.apana.org.au wrote:
>>If the Sword project provided OSIS modules for all its text
>>that would
>>be fine.
>>
>>With OSIS there is a spec to go by.
>>
>>I could start there within Squeak. If I needed to interface the Sword
>>libraries then I could. I would have to be willing to limit access to
>>those platforms for which it is available, but only for those Modules
>>which aren't available in OSIS, GBF or other publicly
>>spec'd/documented
>>format.
> 
> You might make something that could use Sword modules, but it wouldn't
> really be a Sword front end unless it worked through the Sword libraries.
> That's not necessarily a bad thing, if there's a need for it. But is there?
> 
> As for platforms, the Sword library has been designed with portability in
> mind. It's my understanding that it will run on pretty much anything for
> which a standards-compliant C++ compiler is available. It is known to have
> been successfully installed on Windows, Mac, Linux and some handhelds/PDAs.
> I'm confident that the main development team would also be happy to support
> and encourage efforts to port it to other platforms, too, as needs dictate.

That is all very true. However, too my knowledge there is no Sword 
frontend for MacOS 8.x or 9.x. To date no one with the skill has either 
had the need or ability. That is also true for potentially many other 
OS/hardware systems.

I can develop with Squeak the ability to use the Sword libraries. 
However, I don't have the ability to compile the libraries on the 
platforms where Squeak runs. Many of the potential users don't have the 
tools or the ability. It is a dependency that is potentially unnecessary 
in this specific instance.

It isn't necessarily an either/or proposition. My preference would be 
all Squeak, not my requirement. It is quite possible someone here could 
team up with me when I am ready and create DLLs, SOs or whatever type of 
shared libraries the platform has.

Squeak does do many things via plugins or FFI. I could possibly do Sword 
libs similarly where available.

Not saying anything against the Sword libraries. I use them now on my 
WinXP machine at work and my Debian Linux machine at home. Thank you 
Sword team. :)

Anyway, a Squeak frontend is something I want. Its my itch. I will 
scratch it as necessary. :)

Jimmie Houchin