2008/1/21, Bertalan Fodor (LilyPondTool) <address@hidden>:
If I didn't use Java it would not exist at all, and certainly I would
not have users from Linux, Mac and Windows world. So we must
accept this
trade-off: I don't like Java, but it is the platform which
provides the most
features in the shortest time for the most users.
...With the major exception of Apple's implementation. For instance,
my girlfriend's iBook is still running OSX 10.3.9, and there is no
convenient Java implementation to run jEdit on it (when using it to
typeset LilyPond code, I have to use an editor like Smultron, and
still, even the last versions of Smultron do not run on Panther! Gee,
we're talking about a 3-years old OS; it's even much more recent than
XP, and nevertheless none would consider dropping XP support!)*
However, I think things are changing about the way developers and
people see the Java world. Since 2007, Sun seems to have understood
they have to become *really* GNU/compatible to be accepted; let's just
wait and see how far they're willing to go.
And don't get this as an offense. My question was really
curiosity. I spent
(and spending) huge amounts of my free time for LilyPondTool
development. I
have no other reward (except the 55EUR donation get in 4 four
years :-))
than people using it. So I want to make it a product that everyone
uses for
LilyPond. And I hope that some time there will be user-provided
templates
for example.
You are right to promote your (great) work. But I think you'll agree
if I say I would hate to see LilyPondTool (hence jEdit, hence Java)
become a mandatory requirement to use LilyPond. The great thing about
Lily, and about Free Software in general, is the freedom of choice;
you can choose your platform, you architecture, your OS, and even your
editor.
I would also be honored if LilyPondTool were mentioned on the
Download page
as an officially recommended tool, as Han-Wen suggested a year ago.
+1!
Another cool thing could be to develop a bundled Lily+jEdit+LPT
pre-configured easy installer :)
Cheers,
Valentin