Re: [Caml-list] findlib and mac os x frameworks/bundles/applications

[james woodyatt <jhwoodyatt@mac.com>]

On Friday, September 28, 2001, at 06:57 , Damien Doligez wrote:
>
> I would say these two distribution formats have very different
> purposes.  Apple's bundles and packages are most useful for easy
> installation of stand-alone applications.  findlib is for managing
> libraries that are going to be used by programmers.

The Mac OS X framework system (actually, it's Darwin's framework system) 
is intended for distributing libraries used by programmers.  Apple 
modified the GCC compiler to add support for searching and linking with 
frameworks in a manner somewhat reminiscent of the way findlib does it 
with Ocaml for its own framework system.

> I think you should use an Apple-style package if you're distributing
> an application targetting the end user (in which case ease of
> installation is very important), and a findlib package if your product
> is a library to be used by other programmers (in which case reading
> the docs and typing a few command lines to a shell prompt is not a big
> deal).

I hold to the philosophy that programmers are every bit as intelligent 
as end users.  They ought to be treated like human beings, and with the 
same level of respect.  Ease of use is important to everyone.

Do you think modifying findlib to understand the layout of Mac OS X 
frameworks is too hard, or a bad idea for some other reason?

I haven't looked at the code for findlib yet.  I suppose it could make 
sense to dispense with findlib on Mac OS X and go straight for 
developing a framework search, link and construction system from 
scratch.  But I hate reinventing other people's wheels.

I was hoping to find out if anyone else had given this problem some 
thought before I started in on it.


--
j h woodyatt <jhw@wetware.com>
"...the antidote to misinformation is more information, not less."
                                                      --vinton cerf

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