Antialiased Nedit, UTF8 now a possibility

[Thomas Orgis]

Am Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:34:21 +0200
schrieb Joerg Fischer <jf505 at gmx.de>: 

> Dušan Peterc wrote:
> 
> > OpenMotif's license only puts limitations on where I can use OpenMotif. I
> > can only use it on open source kernels. Any true freedom lover will not have
> > a problem with that, since he or she already uses only free software.
> 
> This is an argumetation somewhat like any free speech supporter would
> have no problem if someone is not allowed to argue against free
> speech, and you only need to come to the US to find out how wrong 
> you are ;-)

OK, I don't really understand Jörg's argument, but I see an issue with that usage restriction to "open source kernels", too.
I understand that the GPL may seem more restrictive for you, for a developer wanting to write and distribute software, it indeed is. It limits the restrictions you can put onto your users, and adds restrictions for people again using your software and distributing the result.
But what it does not restrict is a very important realm: It does not restrict the _usage_ of the software.
I can use GPL software in any way I want. Heck, I can link it with loads of proprietary code and happily use it, as long as I don't distribute the result. GPL forbids spreading of such derived proprietary/GPL mixed software, but it does not forbid anyone from creating it for personal use.

So, anyone can compile nedit with OpenMotif, or the Motif that happens to be installed on her proprietary UNIX system and use it. One just should not distribute such a build when wanting to comply to the GPL.
Though, nedit could add a linking exception in place to allow distribution of openmotif binaries... but with plain GPL, that's not adhering to the license.
Though nedit folks as copyright holders are unlikely to enforce that part of the license, I suppose.

Dušan: Thanks for your hint on probably getting openmotif compiled under my system (which is GNU/Linux with rolling release that already catched up with Xorg that dropped libXPrint ... it may hit you later;-).
But actually, I came to this list with exactly that question, and the discussion reasoned that it is more worth it focusing on a working version of the free alternative to Motif, lesstif, which actually saw some revival of development (not that visible on the outside yet, apparently).
Downside is that there is no Unicode in lesstif, AFAIK .. blurry memory, ah here:

http://www.lesstif.org/FAQ.html#QU4.10

So the issue stands that you may produce a nedit that supports AA fonts and Unicode using OpenMotif, but it would not appear on free systems like debian (as official package) unless it also works with lesstiff or a wholly different toolkit (like FTLK, which already borrowed the nedit text widget, as I recall?).

Btw, refer to these earlier discussions about OpenMotif/lesstif:

http://www.nedit.org/pipermail/discuss/2009-February/009992.html
http://www.nedit.org/pipermail/discuss/2009-March/009996.html
http://www.nedit.org/pipermail/discuss/2009-March/010033.html

End result of all that is me currently using nedit CVS snapshot with a patched lesstif CVS snapshot.
It's not crashing at me, but not working perfectly, neither... "real" Motif (on Solaris or Tru64, in my case) technically works better -- if it were free...

I see the real chance to get away from these legalese trouble in a rewrite of nedit... trying to port the spirit and leanness of the program to some other toolkit (or just Xlib, since the text widget is custom anyway;-).
Actually, I would be fine with a rather bare text window and the menu being available in a separate (nedit client) app.
I need the menu mainly for reconfiguring nedit anyway. And heck, if the config files would be more human-friendly, I wouldn't even bother with the GUI for them... I'd just edit 'em in nedit;-)
But I understand that this would destroy the initial user base of nedit, which started as an easy-to-use, mouse GUI style editor for everyone.
Hm, I'm talking strange. Should stop now.


Alrighty then,

Thomas.
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