[vbox-dev] is there any plan to port the qt gui to gtk?

[Achim Hasenmueller]

Valentine Sinitsyn wrote:
>> The qt gui need more time to launch and looks not so look in a gnome
>> environment.
>>     
It should be rather fast to launch the GUI. It never takes more than
half a second for me. Maybe the media enumeration is what blocks you
(not a GUI but an API issue)? We have fixed some startup delay issues,
so try again with the next version (or build from SVN in the meantime).
So startup performance should not be a valid technical reason against Qt.

Note that you can make Qt apps look nice in GNOME, all you need is
install the right skin. Most distributions do this for you, others (e.g.
Gentoo) like to shock you with a horrible Qt L&F.
>> I would try to write one with pygtk , if it is not in your todo list
>> recently.
>>     
> Check "Contributions" page:
> A GNOME integration project is about to start. I guess it's worth
> joining them.
>
> Anyway, I'm afraid you'll get hard time writing GUI in Python. I was
> investigating the issue a little and it appears that PyXPCOM wrappers
> which do exists will not work with VirtualBox XPCOM component out of
> the box - you'll need to patch/rebuild them. Maybe I'm wrong - in this
> case I would appreciate if you point me to PyXPCOM binding which works
> with VirtualBox.
>   
True, the number and quality of the available XPCOM language bindings is
rather poor. However, fixing a binding should not be overly hard, the
interface is quite simple. However, C++ is usually an easier candidate
for writing a VirtualBox GUI as you will also have to deal with things
like pointers to video memory (could be handled in Python as well I guess).

Writing yet-another-GUI seems to be a waste of resources IMHO (but as
VBox is open source, everyone may decide on his own). Doing a real GNOME
desktop integration where virtual machines are treated like other
resources (folders, files, etc.) sounds interesting, though.

-- 

** Besuchen Sie uns auf der CeBIT vom 15.-21.3.2007 in Hannover **
           ** Im Linux-Park - Halle 5 - Stand G57/3 **

 ** InnoTek at CeBIT Hannover: Linux Park Hall 5 - Booth G57/3 **


Kind regards / mit freundlichen Gruessen / Cordialement,
    Achim Hasenmueller

InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH
fon: +49 7151 60405-0 (fax: -111)
hasenmueller at innotek.de
http://www.innotek.de
Germany

Place of Incorporation/Firmensitz: Weinstadt
Register Court / Registergericht: Stuttgart HRB 264652