JTK wrote:
>
> So let me get this straight: You're saying it's simply a matter of
> degree? That a file save dialog is so 'semantically' similar across
> platforms that wrapping the native one makes sense, but that a *text
> box* is so wildly different that it doesn't? Or a ***scroll bar***?!?!
> Come on.
The semantics of a text box are identical across platforms? Are you
serious? Take a look at the URL bar in any browser and look at all the
things that are "hooked" onto it - autocompletion, drop down popup
lists, page proxy icons... now tell me that every platform in existence
has all of those features available in its standard text box. And that
none of them are going to try to swallow some keypresses that you really
need (like up/down to move through the popup list). And that you can
program all of this trivially using a cross-platform API.
I know you mentioned wxWindows below, and so far it's the only sane
point in your whole argument. But can wxWindows do all of the above in
its text box?
> And yes, I do remember AWT. Do you remember Swing?
Exactly! Swing is a "reinvented" GUI toolkit that implements everything
itself (just like XUL). My point is that EVERY major project that
initially tried to wrap the native versions on every platform eventually
gave up and implemented its own interface, just like Mozilla did. Oh,
and last time I tried it Swing was slower and more memory intensive than
XUL (on my system at least).
> No, I can tell them that regardless, and have done so. But I'll go ya
> one better: wxWindows.
IIRC it was evaluated at the time this decision had to be made (2 years
ago, remember) and decided to be still too immature. Also, do you know
whether wxWindows provides sufficient flexibility to implement a full
HTML rendering system?
> Oh, and does the Amiga even have a file open common dialog?
Yes. Since AmigaOS 2.0.
Stuart.
