On 5 May 2007, at 2:14, Millan wrote: >> >> The word "toolkit" doesn't imply what you think it does. It's >> more or >> less just a synonym for library. > > Hm, ok, but if they are only synonyms for the same thing, then how > do you > distinguish by term, between GUI-only library (FLTK), Network-only > libraray > (POCO), Threads-only libraray (Pthreads)... and library that > covers all > (most) system operating system functions?
There is not a suitable single-word term in English, so you do need to say "GUI library" or "network library". "Toolkit" as a word has been spun so much that it really tells us nothing anymore... > I mean, it may seem as a bit debasemnt (I guess I choosed the right > word :)) > to FLTK to say that it covers only a subset of what other libraries > cover, > but it is the true that FLTK dosen't cover as many aspects (and I > don't mean > just the "makeup") as, for example wxWidgets, FOX or QT, in fact > roughly it > only covers GUI aspect, Yes, and that *is* almost entirely the point. F-L-t-k Fast Light etc... I need a GUI library that is compact, fast and easy to use. I do not need a "toolkit" that also provides network support, since I already have one that works very well across platforms and which I find easier to use than the ones bundled into wxWidgets et al. Ditto serial port support and so on. Lots of small, specialised, efficient "toolkits" each tailored to do its job well. A little example from outside the software world... I also do fair bit of specialist carpentry work, and I get flyers from companies advertising all sorts of fancy multi-tools that will make my job easier... But on a job, you never see the experts using these tools - they have the right tool for the right job. You do see the these tools being used from time to time, particularly by the enthusiastic amateurs that turn up from time to time, and while the tools do often work, they just don't work as well as you'd like, and the quality of the job is just a little disappointing... And that's pretty much where I am at with software toolkits: the right tool for the right job, and wary of anything that claims to be a panacea for all... _______________________________________________ fltk mailing list [email protected] http://lists.easysw.com/mailman/listinfo/fltk
