Ph Gibone wrote in message <36ed4ab0.0@news.povray.org>...
>
>To make things clear, when I wrote about a scripting language for Moray I
>thought that it would be very convenient to be able to write a plugin even
>if you don't know C, C++, WIndows SDK,
[snip]

That is where the misunderstanding was, I think:

Twyst was thinking of a plug-in that would offer a simply scripting-language
to make part of the plug-in interface available to non (C/C++)-programmers,
or at least available without the need of compiling and building DLLs.

Your idea was to change/adapt the plugin interface of Moray so that it would
facilitate writing plugins in Java instead of C/C++.

Both are good ideas, but different ones, in my view.

You idea may be possible to realize in two ways: First (of course) would be
for Markus and Lutz to change the plugin-interface to allow interfacing to
Java (frankly, I don't see this happening ;-)
Or someone could write a Moray plugin in C++ that is actually only a wrapper
for the plugin-interface, and that exposes all interface methods and members
to a similar Java interface.

But the main question is: Is this needed?
Are there really people who are dying to write a Moray plugin and only don't
do so because they would have to program in C/C++? And would the same people
start programming like hell, if they could do so in Java instead?
I don't think so, because even in Java it would still require some
above-beginner-level programming skills, and people with such skills are
usually not bothered by the fact of which language they would have to use
for a certain task.

Java has other disadvantages for a project like this: The number of
different VM's that all behave slightly different would require quite some
testing of such a plugin, to make sure that it runs everywhere. Or the
author could require a certain VM (and a certain version of it) to be
installed, adding more installation burdon to the end-user.
Then there is the general sluggishness of Java (granted, it can be overcome
by the right programming, but still...).
Also the memory usage: Expect your VM (with a program loaded and running) to
use up at least 5-10 Megs of RAM - memory that is no longer available for
Moray (and more importantly POV-Ray) anymore.
And last not least: The look and feel (even with Swing's Windows L&F) would
be different between Moray and Java plugins, making them appear less
"seamless".

OK, just to clear that up (and because Philippe always stresses that he is
*not* a "Java-fan" ;-) I want to stress that I am not a Java "basher":
Actually, I earn my living by programming in Java and I like it (but it also
makes me very aware of its many shortcomings).

Greetings,
Johannes.

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