Re: MacOS X GUI build

[Jacob Dawid]

Ok, but what will it be on Windows, (or Android, some day, etc. etc.) I

think using a free font is also more in keeping with the GNU ethos?
Users could then select from other detected fonts on their system if
they prefer.

This way, the default look and feel will be maintained across platforms
and you won't have to worry about how things will behave so much. For
instance in QtOctave I was binding the CTRL++ CTRL+- keys to increase
and decrease the font sizes in all windows with an aim one day to
provide an 'Accessibility Mode' for the visually impaired, it will be
more difficult to know what the correct settings are on all platforms
without a known font for this.

Richard

--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Well, the idea is to make our application the chameleon and adopt to each OS. I think this is a key feature: If the users think that the application does not "feel" right, they won't use it. However, this is a situation of conflicting interests, but to be honest I expect the loss through not adopting the look and feel of the target system is greater than the win in being ethically correct in every detail. Strictly speaking it even isn't "ethically correct" to aim at non-free platforms.

The GNU ethos is an idea. Walking the road is the goal. Making it popular to walk the right road is a good compromise, I think. You have to carefully listen to what people complain about - and having an application that does not follow the native look-and-feel is a no-go. I already browsed the GUI Octave (not Octave GUI) forums for feature requests ;)