[Development] Reviews needed before android integration in two weeks

[Simon Hausmann]

On Tuesday, February 05, 2013 04:17:42 AM BogDan wrote:
> > On Tuesday, February 05, 2013 02:58:47 AM BogDan wrote:
> >>  Hi,
> >>  
> >>  > On Tuesday, February 05, 2013 11:33:29 AM Paul Olav Tvete wrote:
> >>  > [...]
> >>  > 
> >>  >>  mkspecs/android-g++/qmake.conf
> >>  >>
> >>  > One suggestion regarding the name of the mkspec:
> >>  > 
> >>  > It's not unusual to have linux* masks in .pro files (at least not
> > 
> > in
> > 
> >>  > WebKit
> >>  > ;-)
> >>  > 
> >>  > Would it perhaps make sense to rename the mkspec to linux-android-g++
> > 
> > to
> > 
> >>  > emphasize the fact that at the heart it is still a Linux system
> > 
> > we're
> > 
> >>  > building
> >>  > for?
> >>  
> >>  Linux is only the kernel, which can be changed if Google finds a better
> >>  alternative, and is not required to build an Android application.
> >>  The rest of the O.S. is Android. IMHO android-g++ is the right name
> >>  (just like blackberry-*-gcc), Because to build an application we need
> >>  libs
> >>  that are Android "specific" (they have their own libc
> > 
> > implementation, etc),
> > 
> >>  not the linux kernel.
> > 
> > Yet bionic tries to be glibc compatible'ish.
> > 
> > Changing the underlying kernel would be a major ABI break unless the new
> > kernel comes with a compatibility layer (which would seem likely). But the
> > day that happens I suggest we introduce a new mkspec ;)
> > 
> > Let's put it this way: linux-g++* is just as fuzzy as android-g++* in what
> > it
> > means. But we're not in the business of creating mathematical formulas,
> > we're
> > in the business of making life easier for software developers. If we can
> > make it easier for people to port their app to Android, why don't we do
> > it?
>   Why do you think that "./configure -xplatform linux-android-g++ ... " will
> make  software developer life easier than "./configure -xplatform
> android-g++ ... "  ?
> 
>   There are developer that don't know or don't care what kernel powers the 
> Android O.S., they know that they have to create an application for
> *android* not for linux-android :) IMHO naming it linux-android-g++ will be
> confusing for some developers  because they will think that linux is
> *required* to create android apps, which is not the case ... As you said we
> should try to keep the things simple and clear !

Most people won't compile Qt for Android themselves, right? But _many_ more 
people are going to _use_ it and are likely going to use qmake .pro files. 
That's where they see the mkspec, that's where it might make a different when 
porting.


Simon