Re: [Freeciv-Dev] Requiring glib...

[Daniel Burrows <Daniel_Burrows@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, May 18, 1999 at 11:57:31AM +1000, Mitch Davis was heard to say:
> Daniel Sjolie wrote:
> > 
> > I think making glib required would be a good thing (tm)
> > The purpose of glib is to act as a portability libary...
> 
> Freeciv doesn't just run on Linux.  Many people use it under other
> Unix and non-Unix operating systems.

  Umm, that's why he suggested glib.  As far as I know glib compiles on most
Unicies and might be partially ported to Win32.

> > don't hear any really serious objections... I really think that glib is
> > a libary that we *want* on every computer... Thus we *should* require it
> > to work for the spreading of this...
> 
> That sounds suspiciously like glibc's agenda, which is not
> necessarily ours.
> 
> Many people also build and run Freeciv in their own home directories.
> IMHO, it it unreasonable to expect people to install glibc(30Mb) just
> so they can run Freeciv.

  What does glibc have to do with this?

  glib has some incredibly useful utility functions, such as hash tables,
guaranteed-to-work versions of 'standard' functions that are broken on some
systems (like *alloc and *printf), a plugin system, and lots of other stuff that
doesn't spring to mind (I mainly use the hash tables and lists).  The GTK+
client already requires glib by default, and using it globally will probably
help unify the client code if freeciv-gtk uses glib to any extent other than
its use of GTK+ (I'm not aware whether it does or not)

  The source of glib is only 518k. and the so is 135k on my system.  That
doesn't seem like too much of a problem, the only real problem is finding
the library and it's available in many well-known locations.  Heck, the Solaris
systems here have it installed.

  For what it's worth (I haven't touched the code much so maybe I should be
a non-voting member of the list :-) ), I second the motion to use glib.

  Daniel

-- 
  Using a metaphor in front of Ridcully was like a red rag to a--was like
using something very annoying in the presence of someone who was very annoyed
by it.

              -- Terry Pratchett, _Lords and Ladies_