[CF-Devel] sdl client

[Michael Toennies]

Hi

As some know, the dx client starts to be imcompatible to the
current server.

Also, i had dropped the work on the dx client.
I will remove the download site in the next time.

Reason: There is no need for the dx client anymore, because the sdl client
can all what the dx client can do too.

Sadly, no one has touched the sdl client since i had stoped work.

So, in the current state the sdl client only works for iso.
But it is easy to make a normal view with it. The sdl client is full
workable and playable but there are some things not worked out.
But in 3 days, one can make it like the dx client or the linux ones.

Well, now some had asked me to work on the client again.

The point is, that i had designed the sdl client for the reason, that
we have then ONE client for all platforms and drop the old one. But i find,
that there is no majority for it or no one is really interested.

Let me explain my mind: I spend alot of time to CF in the past, but i will
not work for things which waste my time.

We have some clients yet. I count the gtk client the other linux client as
different clients as same as the dx client,
because they use on the first glance alot the same modules,
but the really important modules which defines the real differences (x11...)
are different and not portable. The amount of the g11.c is 185k, thats more
than
all the others "shared" modules. And of course is a 185k module, where the
whole
widget and gui code is inside hidden, a dirty work.

The point is, that these different clients with the sdl client in the same
arena
are senseless.

They are don't do so much different, that this need different code or
clients!

It make sense when for example you do a 2d client and a 3d client. There is
the
technical concept very different.

But even for the iso and normal view there is NO NEED for different clients!

So, when i work on the sdl client, i always know that i do work, thats done
on other
points too or not really needed when people work together.

This is wasted time, when i know i do things for he 3rd time and then one
will change things
in the blah client and then i must do the same work angain for the sdl
client. Also, this
have bad effects on development.

Well, what i want is this: a vote from the dev team to drop the other
clients and concentrate
on the sdl client. This will make work much easier, will open ideas to all
platforms and people
and help ALL, not the windows guys only or the linux guys only.

The we mark the dx client, the win32 client and the gtk, gnome and normal
linux client as outdated
and remove them from current dev work.

Of course, you are free to work on the sdl client for your own, the sdl
client in the CVS is full
workable as i said.

But you will drive in the same hole as i described, one change to server
protocol or one new feature
and you have work on 2-4 clients.

Michael