[gst-devel] Re: Helix Player virtual team meeting

[Jonathan Blandford]

Ryan Gammon <rgammon at real.com> writes:

> Hello folks,
> 
> As the clarifications on the licensing issues are happening in other
> threads, I also wanted to discuss some of the other interesting things
> that came out of the virtual team kickoff.
> 
> The first has to do with our use of the gtk_hxplayer prefix for our
> GtkWidget-based wrapper around the helix client.
> 
> There have been suggestions, from Hadess and Havoc in particular, that
> we not use the gtk prefix with our widget, as it implies that we are
> part of the gtk namespace, and hence under the control of the gtk
> project.

The prefix is for namespacing objects.  Widgets in the GTK+ library use
the GTK+ namespace, and thus begin with Gtk.  Widgets in other libraries
begin with a namespace as appropriate to that library.  Having an object
starting with 'Gtk' doesn't make it a widget -- it just means that it is
part of GTK+.

There are practical reasons for this beyond the 'control' aspect.  Even
widgets that are definitely targeted for inclusion into GTK+ are given
a prefix other than 'Gtk' initially.  This lets applications use both
widgets simultaneously.  As an example, there was a 'GtkComboBox'
developed outside of GTK+ and used in Evolution.  When GTK+ itself got
it's own GtkComboBox, it was not possible to use it with older versions
of evolution.

> At the same time, I feel that it is too hard for your average gtk
> developer to drop a video widget into his or her application.
> 
> Gtk has a number of complex widgets -- GtkCalendar, GtkGammaCurve, and
> even non-bundled projects like GtkDataBox. Why not some sort of first
> class gtk-prefixed base video widget?

As a note on those specific examples, GtkDataBox isn't part of GTK+, and
should probably be renamed.  GtkGammaCurve exists mostly as a result of
GTK+ initially being written for the gimp, and would not be let into
GTK+ today.  Putting 'Gtk' in the prefix doesn't make a widget first
class, or magically make it a widget, it just means it's in the GTK+
library.

> Can we come up with something that makes a video widget as easy and
> natural to use as a calendar widget?

I think a video widget would be great.  I know of at least one other one
in existence right now (BaconVideoWidget).  However, I don't think
either belongs in GTK+.  Doing so would grow the dependencies of GTK+,
especially when most applications don't need video.

Thanks,
-Jonathan