From: mdiam <Maurice.Diamantini@...>
Date: 2008-12-04T05:44:22+09:00
Subject: Re: best gui toolkit

Hello Logan,

On Dec 3, 8:18 pm, Logan Barnett <logus...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Dec 3, 2008, at 3:39 AM, mdiam wrote:
>
> > But if Ruby had (only) one full supported (preinstalled) GUI
> > Every one could count on any Ruby installation for building a Gui
> > application!
>
> This is along the lines of declaring a One True web framework (like  
> Rails).

Not exactly the same, I think (but not sure) that it's easier to
change
from a framework to another than from a (lower library like) a
GUI such Swing to Qt or Gtk.
So a GUI choice seems critical for me.

Also Tcl provide a natural GUI library with it's Tk tool kit. But
also Python which embed Tk with it!
A Python/Tk script is easiest to distribute than a Ruby/Tk (but not
as sexy to write ;-)


> > It would be nice if Tk could be used in the Java world, and
> > if Swing could (out of the Ruby box) be used from the (C)Ruby
> > world!
>
> Swing can be used out of box from JRuby, and JRuby + Swing apps don't  
> require the user to install all of (J)Ruby, but just double click a  
> jar/exe/app.

Yes, that is **the** big advantage for JRuby (and the fact that any
java lib can be use
directly with Jruby!)


> What's the harm with JRuby, or are you referring to Ruby  
> in a general sense?

Some of my Ruby scripts (without gui) run either in (C)Ruby or in
Jruby without
any modifications, which is very nice.
But I have some Ruby/Tk which cannot be rub into Jruby whith big
changes !

Having Tk running onto jruby (either via Swank java lib or via FFI and
native Tk) would allow me to smoothly migrate from (C)ruby to Jruby.
Or having Swing gui easily usable from native CRuby (without jni)
could be very nice too!

-- Maurice