AWT is dead now

Tue Mar 21 09:26:00 GMT 2000

> Cedric Berger <cedric@wireless-networks.com> writes:
>> > What is the real advantage of Gtk over "pure Java"? Speed?
>> (Speed is not a major advantage - we always have the option of
> replacing critical methods by CNI for a "mostly-Java" solution.)
> (1) It may be easier to implement something useful if we build on gtk.
> (2) Increased compatibility at the code level between C/C++/Java,
> makes it more feasible to mix components in different languages.
> (3) Better look+feel compatibility between Java apps and Gnome
> apps. Specifically, Swing L+F should follow gtk themes.
>> I think (3) is the most important, at least long-term.
> At the very least, we need a default Swing look+feel that just
> uses the current gtk theme.

I'm quite sure that a lot of peoples (including me) would *love* to
have a good Swing L&F that uses gtk themes, especially if it
can be plugged in other VM implementations...
I agree that the implementation of L&F other than Metal has been
so far a very week part of Sun's implementation. But I don't see
any reasons for that except (wrong?) priorities at Sun.
I understand that Sun wanted to keep Swing in pure java up to
version 1.1, but now that it's integrated in the core, I don't see any
reasons why it cannot uses native method to query the platform's
desktop settings for things like themes, widget size, ...