Sammion Hacker News • Recommends
On “KDE makes Qt”
One of the best discussions on the subject, made by old hackers, but new guys to GUI programming, who tried both: link to this video
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Gtk to Qt - a strange journey [linux.conf.au 2014]
Konstantin Bläsi
2.1K subscribers • 1 video on Hallway
- Recommended by 5 people: 5 on Hacker News.
- A classic. People kept recommending it from 2014 to 2021.
- Presented by Dirk Hohndel, Intel's Chief Linux and Open Source Technologist
- An opinion. It argues one side of a question engineers disagree on.
Intermediate. Assumes working knowledge.
46K views12 years ago5 recommendations
Systems programmingSoftware designLinuxSoftware architectureOpen source
Dirk Hohndel discusses why the Subsurface dive log project migrated from GTK to Qt, detailing the architectural and community challenges encountered.
Subsurface is an open source dive log program with a relatively small but active set of core contributors. It was created as a Gtk application and did reasonably well with a number of successful releases. Early 2013 the developers decided to change course and switch to Qt. This presentation will discuss why we did this (interestingly enough, a good bit of discussion after my presentation at LCA2013 was part of the motivation to migrate), what obstacles we encountered and what advise we have for other applications frustrated with Gtk (or curious about what a migration to Qt might have to offer). Dirk Hohndel Dirk is Intel's Chief Linux and Open Source Technologist. He has been an active developer and contributor in the Linux space since its earliest days, among other roles, he worked as Chief Technology Officer of SuSE and as Unix Architect at Deutsche Bank. Dirk joined Intel in 2001 and since then has been working in the Software and Services Group with a focus on the technology direction of Intel's Open Source Technology Center and Intel's engagements in open source. His interests range from kernel to user interaction, from massively scalable cloud services to mobile operating systems. He is an active contributor in many open source projects and organizations, various program committees and advisory boards and currently maintains the Subsurface dive log project. Dirk holds a Diploma in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Würzburg, Germany. He lives in Portland, OR, USA. lca2014.linux.org.au/schedule/30140/view_talk?day=thursdayWhy it's here
5 people recommend thisWhat people say. Recommended as an insightful comparison of GTK and Qt from the perspective of experienced open-source developers.
matheusmoreiraon Hacker News • Recommends
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> don't make the mistake of thinking their libraries are meant for others to use I agree. This presentation convinced me: link to this video GTK+ is really just a toolkit for GNOME projects. All other users are secondary.
tdicolaon Hacker News • Recommends
On “How long since Google said a Google Drive Linux client is coming?”
I think this gets to the core of the problem. The API is out there and open, yet no one (or at least not many people) have decided to try and make a nice GUI client for Linux. Perhaps it's not a problem with Google but more a problem with publishing desktop/GUI software for Linux still being a complete pain in 2015. There's a fantastic talk from Dirk Hohndel last year about how much pain he's gone through creating and publishing a dive logging GUI application for Linux: link to this video If someone like Dirk, who has access to no less than Linus Torvalds himself, has so much trouble creating a modern GUI app on Linux today then how much luck will anyone else have?
znpyon Hacker News • Recommends
On “RHEL is deprecating KDE”
> link to this video Thank you for posting this, it's nice to see that someone already had most of my feelings.
simion314on Hacker News • Recommends
On “GTK has a new website”
Qt has a company behind so is more professional, better documentation, better cross platform support, less bugs. This video link to this video is about the reasons Subsurface (a diving app started by Linus Torvalds) changed from GTK to Qt. Things might have improved from GTK I can't tell and also for simpler GUIs GTK might be enough.
simion314on Hacker News • Recommends
On “Trinity Desktop Environment R14.0.9 Release Notes”
Look at GNOME, notice the giant paddings, title bards see look at the checkboxes,scrollbars etc. Also is not a secret that GNOME developers considered at least touch screens if not tablet when designing the GUI. IMo an informative video on GTK and Qt , it explains what issues you can have with GTK, is about the subsurface application(created by Linus Torwalds that moved to Qt because GTK is bad and even Linus could not get good answers from Red Hat guys) link to this video
u/reebs12in r/C_Programming • Mentions
…rather a Cairo tutorial that makes use of GTK3+). In addition, there are **no active forums** anymore as www.gtkforums.com/ (**don-t click on this one!**) directs now to an infernal gambling pop up mess.
Also, https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmasterrace/comments/7xkcwo/why\_does\_everyone\_hate\_gtk/. Even Linus and Dirk had to ditch GTK+ it seems [video
Ok enough reasons to avoid GTK+3.
Anyone knows of good C alternatives to GTK+3 (with good documentation, forums, etc...) **\***?
My guess is there simply is none, since there are so many DE based in GTK. Why would this be true if there were good C alternatives to GTK3+?
note: Qt would qualify, except it does not suit my criteria because…
u/ankit_rohatgiin r/C_Programming • Mentions
On “Is it worth to learn GTK+?”
…sp. for Windows). GTK 3 API has been changing from release to release and I often found it difficult to get answers to my questions online or find links to updated examples/hints. I gave up when I couldn't get Windows and Linux versions of my prototype to behave the way I wanted and after a few weeks I could totally relate to the Subsurface video (link to this video
I also tried Qt and was able to get a nice looking GUI up in a very short time. It is the most popular toolkit and you will find tons of examples and tutorials online. However, I could never get the sort of performance I wanted with very large images. Also, I found Qt Creator to be quite buggy and the API a little difficult to remember (I…
u/cjwelbornin r/C_Programming • Mentions
On “Is it worth to learn GTK+?”
It was Subsurface), here is a video talking about the switch. I haven't watched the whole thing, but I don't think Linus is in it (still relevant though). Quote from wikipedia:
>"Until version 3.9.2, subsurface used GTK+ for its graphical user interface and with version 4.0, subsurface switched to Qt 4. At the LCA2014, Torvalds and Hohndel explained why they choose to re-write the GUI using Qt."
u/grumbelin r/compsci • Mentions
On “What do you think of Linus Torvalds' opinion on the advantage of C over C++?”
Linus' Subsurface is now using C++, started as C/Gtk, but is now C/C++/Qt. So he has softened a little on his C++ hate. There is also a lengthy talk about the porting process.
hornetblackon Hacker News • Mentions
On “Brian's Rules for Writing Cross Platform 'C' Code (2008)”
Reminded me of Subsurface maintainer's talk on Qt: link to this video He found it was very good for cross platform work.
skriticos2on Hacker News • Mentions
On “How Does One Create A Gtk+ Application?”
I just watched this 1 video from Dirk Hohndel describing the migration motives and process from Gtk+ to Qt for subsurface (started by Linus). TLDR: * Qt has a community of people developing applications, has good documentation (precise, good coverage) and people who care * Gtk+ has a bunch of Gnome developers, if you want to develop an application, you're out of luck 1: link to this video
Sammion Hacker News • Mentions
On “KDE makes Qt”
Counter point: Dirk Hohndel explains how the Subsurface team was able to implement a much cleaner and simpler GUI in QT than in GTK: link to this video (I've already posted this link in another comment, but here it is again just for relevance) Maybe people don't make that many complex GUIs in GTK cause it's just too hard?
MegaDeKayon Hacker News • Mentions
On “Quantum OS - OS based on Linux which conforms to Material Design guidelines”
Subsurface, a program for divers, was another high-profile switch. High profile because Linus started it. If he and a bunch of other pretty smart kernel hackers can't figure out GTK, that says something. link to this video On a related note, GNU Radio has a foot in both Qt and WxWidgets and intends to focus on Qt going forward.
aksxon Hacker News • Mentions
On ““C++ is a horrible language” – Linus Torvalds”
Looks like it's that time of the year again. Yes Linus said that and he was probably in 2007 C++11 and C++14 have come a long way. also since no one has posted this till now 2014 Gtk to Qt a strange journey link to this video
onlion Hacker News • Mentions
On “How we made compiler warnings fatal in Firefox”
No one knows how to use GTK correctly, not even the GTK developers. At least that was the situation in 2014 when subsurface moved from GTK to Qt, link to this video .