KDev For Windows?

[anphanax]

The idea sounds wierd, but in my opinion, it's a great idea.

Basically, if Microsoft Windows programmers could write C++ code that can be compiled for LINUX or WINDOWS, that would be awesome. It's not like it would be TOO difficult either (Same function names, same class names, different behavior for different operating systems under the hood). I am aware there are some things that are operating system specific, but this wouldn't have the same drawbacks as using Java would. I also realize some of the file operations in the UNIX environment wouldn't work in the Windows and vice versa, but it would increase the amount of programmers for the Linux platform (If I can code something that will work on both Linux and Windows, i'll choose it over a Windows-Only solution any day). It wouldn't affect security for Linux either. Virus programmers could still write programs to screw up windows, but these programs wouldn't screw up Linux since Linux doesn't have the same problems Windows does. And sorry for the Mac users, I didn't mean to exclude you. If product developers could provide to all three platforms at once with C++, considering there would be more money to be made, why not? Opportunity can mean more money for companies, and most companies are driven by their profits. The amount of money Microsoft may penalize companies for doing this would be made up by the extra profits, and with the greater audience they may even get more. Basically, it's not impossible to do this, and if you get some clever programmers involved, i'm sure something great could happen. One of the reasons Windows hobbist programmers write code is because most of their audience uses Windows. If they could increase their audience without having to learn a new programming language, they probably would provide binaries for Mac and Linux.

If something like this already exists /w C++, please tell me.

[ February 15, 2004: Message edited by: anphanax ]

[WMD]

quote:Originally posted by anphanax:
If something like this already exists /w C++, please tell me.

Yeah: basically all C++ environments not made by Microsoft.  

[flap]

What you're really talking about is producing an OS independent API wrapper for C/C++, much as Java has, but that could be compiled to native executables (unlike Java). I've wondered why Sun didn't design Java to work like that, as if they had done the take-up of the language probably would have been much greater. The biggest difficulty in porting most grpahical programs is probably the difference in windowing systems, though that can be alleviated by using something like QT.

[solo]

There is a large problem to overcome with your idea.

First off, Java CAN be compiled to native code, GCJ can do it already.

The APIs for X/KDE/GNOME/Linux and the APIs for Windows are not the same. You would have to either create a new cross-platform API, port KDE over or use GTK+ for Windows.

Besides, you do know there is Bloodshed DevC++ anyway? It's open source, easy to use, and it's not MS.