Interesting points on porting Free software to Windows

[jdong]

http://os.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=04/12/23/1844249&from=rss

It is a discussion of pros/cons of porting KDE to Windows, which really applies to ANY open source software to Windows...

So everyone, remind me about what happened to Gallileo when he presented his model of the universe as :
1. 2 people having conversation with each other.
2. One side being exceptionally harsh on the other side.

[wallijonn]

I don't think that KDE itself could be ported over, but I could see some apps., perhaps someone who bought a CD Burner and ddn't get Nero with it, then k3b may be option. Of course ABIWord, OpenOffice and The GIMP have been ported over, but I doubt that Evolution will ever be. Even when WordPerfect was ported over not too many people took notice. Now there was a great product. I even tried to install it on Ubuntu.

[jdong]

Well, with Cygwin, KDE 3.2.x runs on windows already! but it's not well integrated into Windows, and cannot function as an Explorer replacement.

[BWF89]

If we port every Linux program to Windows what incentive will people have to switch? Most people who are useing Linux are useing it because it works better, they don't care about the freedom. If they see they can use the OS that 95% of the world us useing and use all the programs that the other 5% are useing why would anyone in their right mind switch?

I would but that's because I use Linux for it's freedom...

[Quest-Master]

I sort of disagree with this.

We should keep some of the things that make Linux-great, Linux-only. Perhaps a program or two to demonstrate it's "awesomeness" but not the entire thing. If so, why switch?

Gnome is (unfortunately, IMO) being ported to Win32 as well. ;_;

http://cygnome.sourceforge.net/

[az]

"If we port every Linux program to Windows what incentive will people have to switch"

This is not a competition. This is open free software. Anyone with a compiler can make it and use it. Are you going to descriminate against people who use BSD because it is not linux?


"We should keep some of the things that make Linux-great, Linux-only"

Someone somewhere is going to put this quote at the end of all his posts like the gentoo guy who wonders if debian has package management...

Wanna keep freedom for yourself too? How about integrity? Wanna have dibbs on that, too? Wit?

[TravisNewman]

"If we port every Linux program to Windows what incentive will people have to switch"

This is not a competition. This is open free software. Anyone with a compiler can make it and use it. Are you going to descriminate against people who use BSD because it is not linux?

I have to agree. I think that great software should be ported as widely as possible. I really don't care who's using what operating system. If someone who is never going to use Linux because of their "comfort zone" will use Gnome or KDE, then that's one more person using and helping to propagate the use of open source. It's not about one product (in this case Linux), it's about Free (speech) Software. Spreading that is more important than spreading Linux.



"We should keep some of the things that make Linux-great, Linux-only"

Someone somewhere is going to put this quote at the end of all his posts like the gentoo guy who wonders if debian has package management...

Wanna keep freedom for yourself too? How about integrity? Wanna have dibbs on that, too? Wit?

While I wouldn't have been as harsh about it, when you put it that way it really does make sense doesn't it? Keeping anything linux only just to make it linux only sounds like something Microsoft or AOL would do, honestly.

BTW, nice new icon azz, Shatner never gets old :)

[jdong]

Azz definitely nailed this one. We're really pulling a Microsoft by discouraging Linux software from propagating onto other platforms.

[Quest-Master]

I see where you'e coming from.. and I have to agree now. :o

[az]

I'm sorry I was harsh.

[BWF89]

Are you going to descriminate against people who use BSD because it is not linux?
BSD is a free (as in freedom) operating system just like Linux. Why would we not port it over?

[Quest-Master]

I'm sorry I was harsh.

No problem.. I totally understand your viewpoints now and agree. :)

[TravisNewman]

BSD is a free (as in freedom) operating system just like Linux. Why would we not port it over?
Wait what? Why would we not port WHAT over? BASICALLY everything important on Linux is on BSD already, there's not much to port.

But azz, no need to apologize I don't think, I think it needed a bit of harshness to get the point across.

[Adrenal]

Linux isn't about making ppl switch. Its about quality software. If we can help people using windows, then we should
Human knowledge belongs to the world, not just the people of the world using Linux, or any other os.
Of course, to be fair, a lot of apps should be ported to linux as well, maybe as a gesture of faith. Personally, i wouldn't mind msn messenger. Gaim is great, but msn has voice and camera functionality

[TravisNewman]

Yeah... I doubt that will happen any time soon though. Microsoft doesn't like doing anything for Linux except trying to stop it and belittling it.

[sobralense]

When on windows, I use mozilla (not firefox), xchat (the free version) and gaim ... and if a bug is seen, try report if hasnt been reported.

Now on linux same thing.. and try help those dudes that uses this great system.. so "why not port?" =P

But one thing is true, we (Gnu + Linux comunity) need to be our own ... and not try to "port" something that already exists FROM that OS from evil (and is Not Freebsd) , but port TO that OS.