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Why do you need a desktop running 100% via web technologies? What's the advantage of that? BTW, IIRC KDE uses JS for some Qt stuff and GTK uses CSS for themes.

Why do you need a desktop running 100% via web technologies? What's the advantage of that? BTW, IIRC KDE uses JS for some Qt stuff and GTK uses CSS for themes. How is HTTPS even close to X11 protocol? That's like saying a car engine can function as a steering wheel. BTW /r/linux is not all Linux users.

api 10y ago
The advantage is long-term at the level of the ecosystem. You can leverage the world's largest developer pool and ride the coattails of major corporations. Qt, GTK, and other desktop techs are "weird" little tiny niche skills to acquire, and since desktop dev in general is lower priority these days they're going to be rare. HTML5+CSS+JS with a stack based on React or Ember will draw tons of dev talent. For consistent look and feel the environment could standardize on a single set of CSS themes (maybe a fork of bootstrap) and a "recommended" UI toolkit (I'd recommend React). Use of other CSS or other UI toolkits is okay, but if you do you're strongly recommended to hold to the style guidelines. Those style guidelines could in turn be informed by things like Atom, Visual Studio Code, Slack's desktop app, etc.
- nitrogen 10y ago
  I don't understand all the downvotes for all of your comments. I have developed GUIs in Gtk, Qt, .Net, and Java+Swing, but I saw the writing on the wall and learned web dev. I really really hate writing GUIs in HTML (inferior tools, inferior performance), but that is where the wind is blowing.
  - pjmlp 10y ago
    There is plenty of money to be made in native GUIs, one just needs to search for the right customers. I have been developing green field native applications in the last three years. It has been a return to sanity after doing around 4 years web dev.
    - nitrogen 10y ago
      Any recommendations for where to look for this type of customer?
- simonh 10y ago
  Microsoft tried this with RT, the web technology dev stack for Metro apps. Is that even still a thing? On mobile web tech based apps are the ugly step-children compared to native apps. They've had their chance I'm afraid. I understand why they should be ruling the word in theory, but it just never works out in practice.
digi_owl 10y ago
> GTK uses CSS for themes. GTK3 yes, and it been constantly changing between minor versions so that most of the people that liked doing GTK2 themes abandoned doing GTK3 themes. As for /r/linux, i get the impression that their permanent residents are a mix of gamers and "devops" these days.

api 10y ago

The advantage is long-term at the level of the ecosystem. You can leverage the world's largest developer pool and ride the coattails of major corporations. Qt, GTK, and other desktop techs are "weird" little tiny niche skills to acquire, and since desktop dev in general is lower priority these days they're going to be rare. HTML5+CSS+JS with a stack based on React or Ember will draw tons of dev talent. For consistent look and feel the environment could standardize on a single set of CSS themes (maybe a fork of bootstrap) and a "recommended" UI toolkit (I'd recommend React). Use of other CSS or other UI toolkits is okay, but if you do you're strongly recommended to hold to the style guidelines. Those style guidelines could in turn be informed by things like Atom, Visual Studio Code, Slack's desktop app, etc.

nitrogen 10y ago
I don't understand all the downvotes for all of your comments. I have developed GUIs in Gtk, Qt, .Net, and Java+Swing, but I saw the writing on the wall and learned web dev. I really really hate writing GUIs in HTML (inferior tools, inferior performance), but that is where the wind is blowing.
- pjmlp 10y ago
  There is plenty of money to be made in native GUIs, one just needs to search for the right customers. I have been developing green field native applications in the last three years. It has been a return to sanity after doing around 4 years web dev.
  - nitrogen 10y ago
    Any recommendations for where to look for this type of customer?
simonh 10y ago
Microsoft tried this with RT, the web technology dev stack for Metro apps. Is that even still a thing? On mobile web tech based apps are the ugly step-children compared to native apps. They've had their chance I'm afraid. I understand why they should be ruling the word in theory, but it just never works out in practice.

digi_owl 10y ago

> GTK uses CSS for themes. GTK3 yes, and it been constantly changing between minor versions so that most of the people that liked doing GTK2 themes abandoned doing GTK3 themes. As for /r/linux, i get the impression that their permanent residents are a mix of gamers and "devops" these days.