Practical Way for Porting MP to Linux (1 Viewer)

leo212

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CHli

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I think you might find this interview interesting:

http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2...icaza_cofounder_of_gnome_ximian_and_mono.html

I think XAML is the future and Linux will need to support it, just as with Mono it supports .Net. After all WPF and XAML are in .Net v3.

currently there is no implemantion of XAML rendering under mono. so I hope that MP Developers won't convert to it in the short term.

WTF lol, I wished I could already download it ! :D
 

mPod

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currently there is no implemantion of XAML rendering under mono. so I hope that MP Developers won't convert to it in the short term.
We're already doing so since quite some time! It's just a matter of time how long it will take to make its way into the official SVN. That could take some more time, tho. But it's definately in the works.

Stay curious... ;)
 

samuel337

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I agree with arkay here - it would make more sense to use the relevant equivalent linux technologies instead of using something that emulates it. That said, I understand that it will be a monolithic job to do it all, so you do want to use what's available.

Given however, that you will have to rewrite the DirectX classes anyway, why not rewrite it using linux's WPF equivalent - xgl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xgl). That should relieve you of your WPF worries.

The reason that MP is moving on to WPF? Check out the hundreds of videos out there to find out. One simple example is 3D effects - MP right now is a 2D system, with only 2D animations. So if we wanted a spinning cube effect, we wouldn't be able to do it. The world and hence consumers however, are moving into the 3D world and will come to expect this, so unless MP keeps up, its interface will look outdated. And its not only windows moving into the 3D realm - check out xgl on linux (SLED) and core animation on macs.

I guess its like the evolution from the console/terminal to a GUI world. The console system worked for all those who used it, but the GUI system was nicer :p

Sam
p.s. as DonBogo pointed out, there's now an alliance between Novell and Microsoft on linux, so maybe something will come out of it later regarding mono...
 

leo212

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as I understood so far:
1. Novel & Microsoft signed on an agreement that might help mono project
2. MediaPortal is now beeing converted to use WPF which has an equeivalent on linux (XGL)

is it mean that in few months making this project (convert MP to Linux) will be much easier?
what do you guys think, should we start it now and update it later according to the changes, or wait for a release of MP Client, that will use WPF?
 

arkay

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June 20, 2006
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What really needs to be seen now is how the skins look in WPF.

I can only assume that they descriptive in nature (similar to xml), with the gfx supplied in png format as is currently done.

Once that's set in stone it's a matter of writing a rendering engine on Linux that makes use of equivalent 3D tech (whether that be XGL etc).

The first thing is to identify the major components that need to be ported/re-authored.

Including:

1. Skinning engine.
2. Rendering engine (including all supported media types).
3. Communication model (for server comms, including MP server and Myth Backend).
4. Remote control engine.
5. Plugin architecture.

Then it's a matter of finding people talented in each of the above to begin writing some code.

Cheers,

Arkay.
 

arkay

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June 20, 2006
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If it should be done at all - I would suggest that you wait.

I'd say there's more than enough to do in the various regions that by the time the Linux project was even ready to start showing a GUI the MP gui will have solidified again (as much is it ever does) :)

Communications with MP and Myth could be started now, just getting the streaming going in a plain vanilla window would be an impressive sight.

Cheers,

Arkay.
 

LordMessi

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    If it should be done at all - I would suggest that you wait.

    I'd say there's more than enough to do in the various regions that by the time the Linux project was even ready to start showing a GUI the MP gui will have solidified again (as much is it ever does) :)

    Communications with MP and Myth could be started now, just getting the streaming going in a plain vanilla window would be an impressive sight.

    Cheers,

    Arkay.

    Why do we at all discuss Myth here? - I know that it runs on Linux, but this is still a MP forum. So yes, it would be impressive just to see a client communicate with MP!
     

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