Friday, August 27, 2010

Future Directions for HMG - Roberto Lopez - 12th August 2010

CCH : From the HMG Forum
 
It is very clear for me that Windows is the past.

Devices not having Windows installed are becoming more and more popular since the people don't care about that so much.

QT framework (accessible to us via HBQT) provides compatibility with the following platforms:

- Embedded Linux
- Mac OSX
- Windows
- Linux/X11
- Windows CE/Mobile
- Symbian
- Maemo

Is obvious that is time to change, so I've decided the following:

1. I'll stop any new development based on Windows API (HMG 3.0 will be the last one).

2. The next major HMG release (HMG 4.0) will be based on HMG OJECTS + HBQT so it will be:

a. Full standard OOP.
b. Full compatible with HMG semi-OOP style.
c. Multi-platform

3. I'll still work on HMG 3.0 to do maintenance (bug-fixing only).

4. After the base development in the HMG 4 release be complete, I'll create a team (If there are volunteers) to finish the work.

IMHO, the team work will be successful since:

a. HMG windows and controls properties events and methods (our project goals) are fully docummented.
b. QT classes are fully docummented.
c. QT is extremely high-level compared to Windows API.
d. QT classes has .prg level wrappers (HBQT) so, no C programming is required.
e. QT provides advanced functionality (ie: Inputmask for textbox is built in).
f. So, it's only matter of plug the adequate components in the right places :)

5. If we are successful, HMG 4 will be YOUR project.

6. Since I have a lot to learn and research yet (added to my others occupations) as I've already announced, I'll reduce my participation in the forum for some time (please don't worry :) ).

7. Hopefully, for HMG 10th birthday, I'll be another user/contributor :)

_________________
Regards/Saludos,

Roberto

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In 1997, then using Delphi 3, I had already created 32-bits Windows applications for HRIS, ERP and CRM. In 2007, using Ruby on Rails, an AJAX powered CRM site running on Apache & MySQL was created and I am now using Visual Studio .Net 2008 to create web-based projects and Delphi 7 for Win32 applications using SQL2005 & DBFCDX.

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