[Mono-winforms-list] Windows Forms is crucial for the future success

[Mark Gimelfarb]

Peter,
	If I understand correctly, you are echoing Miguel's statement as to the
future of WinForms in you second paragraph and thereafter. If I read
Miguel's statement correctly, he also said that using Wine was an
attempt that wasn't successful due to it being harder to use as a
library, than Peter Bartok and others originally thought it would be. In
your third paragraph you are saying what Ravindra and Jodi and others
repeated several times during the last week--yes, WinForms is broken,
nothing will happen with it until the re-write happens (which is in
progress, AFAIU). So what's new in what you are saying that we haven't 
already learned from other posts on this and mono-list? 

	Having said that, I also wish WinForms were ready. While my concerns
today are mostly EnterpriseServices and Messaging, which Miguel has also
already addressed, I also write bunch of apps using rich UI, and I know
for a fact, that my company doesn't want GTK# or anything else, if it's
not WinForms. And, just as others on this list, I would like to help, if
I can, when the WinForms folks get to point when they've got something
to show and need help with.

	As far as WinForms being the most important part of the project, while
I might be _partially_ with you on that one, I'm afraid that we both are
going to get flamed by the ASP.NET programmers out there :) I'd like to
avoid that, if possible. So, no flames, please, I'm not making any
claims to that effect here. :)

	I too, would like to run all my current WinForms projects under Mono on
Linux, and I also have to put all of them on hold, so I'm with you on
that one.

	One thing I do know--native implementation of WinForms under Linux is
far better than wine-based one for the purity of the code and ease of
porting. So, let's just see what the SWF folks have to show and then
make conclusions about the quality of WinForms.


So much for the pep talk.

Regards,
	Mark.


On Mon, 2004-07-26 at 03:13, Peter Custance wrote:
> Mono - Views from a Windows developer.
> 
>  
> 
> Ok, first some history. I have been a Windows developer for 10 years
> starting with the C programming language. I then moved into VB at
> version 4 before progressing to VB.Net and finally to C#. During that
> time period I have watched the rise of the various Linux distros with
> interest. I have played around with many of them and I am a strong
> advocator of choice. I have even tried the various Linux based
> toolkits such as Tcl, Qt and Gtk. So I was very interested when I
> discovered the Mono Project. I have followed Mono now for over a year
> and have ported much of my Dot Net Assemblies over into Linux. Now
> comes the rub, Windows Forms. Now most programmers are creatures of
> habit and like to stick with what they know and feel comfortable with
> and yes I know Windows Forms is only a preview in the latest version
> of Mono. 
> 
>  
> 
> I get the general feeling that those in the Linux community would like
> to see us use the Gtk# toolkit and Monodevelop does not have a Windows
> Form Project type. I have to say that for most of us that would mean
> supporting two sets of GUI code. I can tell you right now, it will not
> happen. Developers simply do not have the time to do this so Windows
> Forms are crucial to the future of Mono if it wants to be a serious
> cross-platform toolkit. I personally think that using Wine to do this
> is wrong and the Windows Forms classes should map to native code but
> that is just my opinion. 
> 
>  
> 
> At the end of the day if the Mono community and Linux as a whole is to
> benefit from this project and expect to see many programs ported
> across to Linux they must implement Windows Forms or many windows
> developers anticipating an easy way to port their applications will
> lose interest fast. I for one have put a few projects on hold at this
> point. I have tried the preview version of Windows Forms and it cannot
> even successfully show a message box without going screwy.
> 
>  
> 
> So to the mono programmers I say don't let us down on this most
> important part of the project and I am sure this will be a great
> success. I for one would like all my future products to work on
> Windows and Linux.
> 
>  
> 
> Peter Custance
> 
>