Thread: Re: [GENERAL] Would this project be of interest to anyone?
Why not use Java in stead of SWIG - TCL/TK - PHP? Or is java not free in your opinion? Regards Wim Ceulemans - wim.ceulemans@nice.be Nice Software Solutions - http://www.nice.be Eglegemweg 3, 2811 Hombeek - Belgium Tel +32(0)15 412953 - Fax +32(0)15 412954 > >I've been working on a new project using Postgresql and wanted a little >public input on it. > >The goal is a complete office automation package using free software. I >think that if you wanted to use the buzzword of the day you could call it >an ERP package but I'm not 100% sure. You can get more info at > >www.math.ksu.edu/~jamest/obe > >Would anyone find this kind of a system useful or am I busy recreating >something freely available on the net and thus wasting my time. I'm >interested in any feedback people may have. Thanks! > >->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->---<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-< >James Thompson 138 Cardwell Hall Manhattan, Ks 66506 785-532-0561 >Kansas State University Department of Mathematics >->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->---<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-< > >
On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Wim Ceulemans wrote: > Why not use Java in stead of SWIG - TCL/TK - PHP? Or is java not free in > your opinion? IMHO, Java is still too slow to use in a full application :( And is still a relatively moving target (ie. FreeBSD doesn't support Java 2 yet, as is the case for a bunch of OSs) > > Regards > Wim Ceulemans - wim.ceulemans@nice.be > Nice Software Solutions - http://www.nice.be > Eglegemweg 3, 2811 Hombeek - Belgium > Tel +32(0)15 412953 - Fax +32(0)15 412954 > > > > > >I've been working on a new project using Postgresql and wanted a little > >public input on it. > > > >The goal is a complete office automation package using free software. I > >think that if you wanted to use the buzzword of the day you could call it > >an ERP package but I'm not 100% sure. You can get more info at > > > >www.math.ksu.edu/~jamest/obe > > > >Would anyone find this kind of a system useful or am I busy recreating > >something freely available on the net and thus wasting my time. I'm > >interested in any feedback people may have. Thanks! > > > >->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->---<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-< > >James Thompson 138 Cardwell Hall Manhattan, Ks 66506 785-532-0561 > >Kansas State University Department of Mathematics > >->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->---<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-< > > > > > > Marc G. Fournier ICQ#7615664 IRC Nick: Scrappy Systems Administrator @ hub.org primary: scrappy@hub.org secondary: scrappy@{freebsd|postgresql}.org
Although still very new it is worth to keep a look out for the Cygnus GCJ compiler. This is a java frontend to EGCS. Still no AWT, SWING and some other stuff but the first release is out and patches are already being submitted. Regaards Lincoln Spiteri On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, scrappy@hub.org wrote: > On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Wim Ceulemans wrote: > > > Why not use Java in stead of SWIG - TCL/TK - PHP? Or is java not free in > > your opinion? > > IMHO, Java is still too slow to use in a full application :( And is still > a relatively moving target (ie. FreeBSD doesn't support Java 2 yet, as is > the case for a bunch of OSs) > > >
Long - More info on project Was Re: [GENERAL] Would this project be of interest to anyone?
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James Thompson
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On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Wim Ceulemans wrote: > Why not use Java in stead of SWIG - TCL/TK - PHP? Or is java not free in > your opinion? > No, I really don't have a problem with the freeness(?) of java. I like my stuff being under the GPL, but I'm not a fanatic about it. Whatever it takes to get the job done without restricting the programmers or users. I'll give info on why I didn't choose java for obelib at the bottom. But first.... I'm know what I want the system to do. I'm just bad at explaining it :-) Here's a little more info. I envision a single library of business objects. It would also be the place to add new features that enhance the entire project (I thinking about CORBA now, but don't know enough about it yet) the current copy of obelib contains customers, lineitems, packets (working name for the Quote/Sales object), connections (persistant storage), business info, and configuration info. This library will serve as the backend to whatever interface you want to use. It could be a TLC/TK GUI like the working prototype packect maintenance screen, a C program like the one that generated the postscript output for the Quote/Sales packet printout, it could be a java applet running under a web browser. This library is currently available to any language that can interface with C functoins (IIRC java can). By wrapping that library with SWIG its functions become available to whatever scripting languages supports, of which java is one. The goal is to allow a greater number of choices for the programmer. People can use what their confortable with and will hopefully want their work included in the project. There is no way I can create this system by myself and include all the features different business segments would require (manufactures, wholesalers, medical, legal, educational, etc. etc.) so I want it to be easy for others to contribute. What I'd really like to end up with is a set of core components that have a specific set of requirements. (What those components are and what their requirements will be is open to debate, I'd love feedback on what people need.) And additional components that work well together regardless of the language used to create them each listing its individual requirements (perl, C, etc., etc.) so that each person can make up their minds what to use. In fact, there is no requirement to use obelib at all. I'm 100% positive that things will come up that will be kludgy if using obelib. People are free to provide code that access the data storage system directly. These components would have a few drawbacks when obelib supports more backends, the programs wouldn't get that support transparently. business logic in obelib would need recreated in those components increasing the possibility of bugs. changes in the storage structures would break the programs. Having said that, I see no reasons why these programs couldn't be included with a little disclaimer stating that the program is compatible but with issues. Once the code is available, it can be reviewed and would provide insight on ways to make obelib better. Hopefully the program could then use the improved obelib. Now, as for why the core isn't written in java. (Feel free to tell me where I'm wrong ;-) I felt that C is well supported by the free software community so alot of programmers feel comfortable with it. Almost everything interfaces with C, I didn't think java was as easily intergated with other projects. A JVM is not available for every possible machine that a free C compiler will run on. I know this is improving. Java is a quickly moving target as far as it's API is concerned. When I lasted programmed in java there were three different GUI methods available Java components are certainly welcome, I just didn't think it fit the bill for the core library. ->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->---<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-< James Thompson 138 Cardwell Hall Manhattan, Ks 66506 785-532-0561 Kansas State University Department of Mathematics ->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->---<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<