[Gnumed-devel] Re: Re: GNUmed on Linux Today

[Andreas Tille]

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 10:06:17AM +0100, Sebastian Hilbert wrote:
> > One half-serious question: if someone would re-wrote major part of
> > GNUmed in say Haskell using Qt toolkit in few months, would you jump
> > on the (new) train?

Seeking for another programming language without good reason just for the
sake of fitting anybodys pet-language is a real waste of developer time,
sorry.  If there would be an *existing* project which has *proven* in
practice that it works good (=better than GNUmed) one might consider
joining this imaginary project and try to port the good parts of GNUmed.

Can you swear that you will not jump on the next language train and
start rewriting the project after some further years?  There are so many
(definitely more than are needed) languages out there and you can write
serious applications in a lot of them.  There is no point in language
hopping and the best idea is probably to adapt to the language the
developing *team* is using instead of trying to make a team following to
switch to something which makes it unproductive for *at* *least* 6
monthes.

> I (Sebastian Hilbert) would not. Simply because I can neither read nor write 
> Haskell nor do I have experience with QT. I would support any effort to write 
> a GUI in QT but I would not commit to learning Haskell and QT at the moment.
> 
> My personal view is that this is a worthwhile goal but builds up new barriers 
> for me keeping me from contributing. I personally doubt that in the long run 
> more coders can be attracted by using Haskell than python. I guess more 
> people 
> have QT skills then wx skills. However there is PyQT available for those.
> 
> I understand that this is a half serious question. Would you care to 
> elaborate 
> on the reason. Would you be the one rewriting major parts and would you lead 
> the development for the next few years. Reason why I am asking is because 
> during a rewrite no new code gets added and the project comes to a full stop. 
> Which is deadly unless you really know what you are doing.
> 
> What happens if the rewrite is planned for a year and after 9 months the idea 
> is thrown out ? I can imagine the more fruit bearing way would be you 
> rewriting major parts of GNUmed, thereby attracting a group of coders around 
> you, thereby making GNUmed as it is pointless through innovation.
> 
> All views expressed here are my personal opinion only.

And I subscribe your personal opinion hereby. ;-)

Kind regards

       Andreas. 

-- 
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