[sword-devel] Announcing Sword++

[Jaak Ristioja]

On 27.09.2016 13:28, Matěj Cepl wrote:
> On 2016-09-26, 17:14 GMT, Ryan Hiebert wrote:
>> It is certainly possible that there is only room for one 
>> library in the "market". If this is the case, and this fork 
>> becomes the choice of the market, then it should be apparent 
>> that the original did not make the choices that the market 
>> needed. Nobody likes split attention, but if a fork becomes 
>> used in practice, then it is by definition doing the right 
>> thing, because it's doing what the users need.
> 
> Certainly, but it is hard to imagine how any distribution 
> replaces functioning library with the one which objectively 
> regresses in provided functionality (no bindings, for example).  
> Also, will other programs using currently normal sword (e.g., 
> gnomesword/xiphos) work with sword++?

Since distros have no problems introducing alternative libraries with
less features, I think its no problem. As I stated in my original
announcement, Sword++ will not be API- nor ABI compatible with Sword. If
that was not clear enough, the answer is still "no", they will not work
without code changes and a recompile. Supporting an API we think is
broken in various ways, would be a drag for the development of Sword++.


>> It really serves no purpose to get upset about someone making, 
>> and sharing, their own personal fork.
> 
> Certainly, and I was among those who supported more “agile” (not 
> necessarily using the methodology, just less burdensome) 
> approach to libsword (e.g., everything in git, pull requests, 
> etc.). We are still not allowing cooperation style normal in the 
> FLOSS world, we have still some modules (e.g., most Bible 
> modules) de-facto proprietary (i.e., without sources available), 
> and I believe all these unresolved issues lead to the silly 
> forks like this one.

Hold your words for a bit and have a little patience. Since this is all
very fresh news to many of you, let it settle a bit. The SWORD project
also needs some time to reflect and decide on the best course of action.
Your criticism does not seem to be as constructive and helpful as it
could be.

Best regards,
J