On 10.2.2013 16.06, "Xiaofan Chen" <xiaof...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Now, I find that disturbing this seems to imply something >> that I as an application developer would not like. > >Why? That is kind of the norm for Linux. The user's >system will either have a udev available or the >other alternative mdev available. It is not that bad >to ask the user to build libusbx there. And you can >also build two version of libusbx binary and during the >installation you can detect the user system and install >the proper libusbx binary. >With the fragmentation on the embedded Linux side >(including Android), I do not see it possible to provide >single Linux binary to be suitable for different Linux >system. That is the job of the distros. And if the distro >does not provide the binary, then the user is expected >to do that... > >> What I want is to be able to bundle a version that I >> have tested my application with in binary >> form that does not require compiling by the end user or >> him/her getting it from somewhere else. >> >> So I would not like to go that route. >> > >I think it is not that feasible for Linux (including Android >and other embedded Linux variants), They are not like >the iOS and Windows RT system where the system >are locked and the only way (without jailbreak) to install >software is through the vendor provided app store. Over >the long run, I think open system (standard Windows, >Linux/Android, etc ) will still win, especially when the system >gets more and more powerful to do more and more things.
I know this is the kind of norm in Linux world. I my view the distro and install from source is system is what is holding back and will continue to hold back the wide adaptation of Linux. Until applications can be distributed in binary form with all the required libraries there will not be a wide adaptation of Linux amongst the general (ie non geek) population. And meanwhile the sheer number of users of non Free operating systems will ensure that the non-free operating system will have the resources to keep 'innovating' and lure users away from Linux. For a developer the idea of distributing and supporting software compiled with who knows which compiler and linked with who knows what library version compiled with who knows what compiler and options should be just too ghastly fragile to contemplate. This is by no means a statement agains Open Source or Free software, I'm all for it when it makes sense but Open Source and Free software should be distributable in binary form if the developer so wants. Open Source and Free software will need to provide the convenience of "AppStores" if they want to keep their foot hold not to mention expand it. In the same vein installation is something that most user would be better off without, being a Mac user I'm accustomed to just click on a web page link, get a .dmg image, mount it by clicking and either run the .app from there or drag it where I want it, no installation no nothing. Typically takes about 30 seconds, which is is about the attention span of typical general population user, if it can't be installed and tested in a matter of minutes, the next app is just a download away, so why bother with something that even difficult to install. This is no small matter from the app developer point of view. As to Android, in my view, the preferred development platform is Java and programming to the Android APIs so this already mostly solves my concern. Libusb in Android seems a bit moot as Android APIs already provide more or less the same functionality built into the platform freeing app developers from caring about it. It is an other matter if it is not technically possible, or the task is otherwise too big to achieve binary distribution in Linux world. Putting my app developer hat on I would be happy with a solution that works for two or three main stream distros, let the fringe compile from source. Having said that I would hope that the number of distros in the world would get down and the pointless and destructive profiliation and fragmentation would stop. Just my opinions of course. br Kusti ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free Next-Gen Firewall Hardware Offer Buy your Sophos next-gen firewall before the end March 2013 and get the hardware for free! Learn more. http://p.sf.net/sfu/sophos-d2d-feb _______________________________________________ libusbx-devel mailing list libusbx-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/libusbx-devel
