[GUI] after the opinion poll

Axel Simon A.Simon@ukc.ac.uk
Wed, 12 Feb 2003 09:51:52 +0000


On Wed, Feb 12, 2003 at 09:32:37AM -0000, Simon Peyton-Jones wrote:
> Well done!  
> 
> Elements of the consensus (your section 2) seem to be
> 
> * Cross-platform portability is very important, meaning: the
> 	same Haskell program should run on many platforms
> 
> * The primary goal is to define a mid-level API, at the general
> 	level of Object I/O or GIO
> 
> * The implementation technology (i.e. which underlying library is
> 	used) is not part of the specification.  Indeed, it's a goal
> 	that the specification should constrain the implementation
> 	technology as little as possible.  Specifically:
> 
> 	(a) the specification should be such that it is possible 
> 	to implement the spec with native look and feel
> 
> 	(b) the specification should be such that a free-software
> 	implementation is possible
> 
> I'd like to suggest a non-goal
> 	
>   * The specification API should be Haskell 98
> 
> GUIs are an area where muti-parameter type classes and existentials are
> really useful, and it's a pity not to use them.  Let's stick to features
> in the intersection of GHC and Hugs, though.

Thanks Simon! You safed my writing (and especially motivating) the 
summary. I will add this tonight.

Axel.