Mac and Linux versions

[Ben Powers]

I hope the devs decidce to port fo Mac and Linux, that would be amazing!

[jefrey]

Yes, OS X please! My old Celeron is too tired for this.

[johabba]

Any "official" NASA statement on a Linux version?

NASA has the smartest people in the world. I would hope those minds would be able to make that happen. :D

[cmaxwell]

Originally posted by johabba@Sep 24 2004, 01:29 PM
Any "official" NASA statement on a Linux version?
Quoted post


I'm the lead and (so far) only programmer behind the NASA World Wind project. I've mentioned elsewhere in the forum some of the reasons for using Microsoft based-technologies, but the basic reason is that given our extremely limited budget and resources for this educational software tool, using C# and Managed DirectX was the only way to get a deliverable out to the public in short order. We want a Linux and especially an OSX port for World Wind, and this will happen sooner rather than later. However, we are still trying to finalize certain features and functionality that are best done using our current development suite, but we want World Wind to be ported to other operating systems and we are actively seeking partnerships to accomplish this goal.

Since this is open-source, we encourage any OSX programmers to start a port and we will try our best to provide whatever resources we can towards the effort. Right now our development staff consists of one programmer and one graphics designer, but we are an ambitious duo so we will do our very best to please everyone. :)

[ohgood]

Currently on a handicapped win2k lappy, Posting on behalf of lin-uses everywhere- PLease Make this available to linux zealots! We love great software, as much as the next guy, and are quite happy paying for such stuffs!

:D

[johabba]

Originally posted by cmaxwell@Sep 24 2004, 05:05 PM
...
We want a Linux and especially an OSX port for World Wind, and this will happen sooner rather than later. However, we are still trying to finalize certain features and functionality that are best done using our current development suite, but we want World Wind to be ported to other operating systems and we are actively seeking partnerships to accomplish this goal.
...
Quoted post


B) I love you.

I'm no developer, but I am a Linux user (of course). If I can help in any way (testing, bug reports, spreading the word, etc) please let me know.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Ben Powers@Sep 24 2004, 09:52 AM
I hope the devs decidce to port fo Mac and Linux, that would be amazing!
Quoted post

:lol: That would be great. Please consider a Linux port. Perhaps it could be open sourced under GPL to allow the OSS community and public to support and enhance it?

[Guest]

Originally posted by cmaxwell@Sep 24 2004, 02:05 PM
We want a Linux and especially an OSX port for World Wind, and this will happen sooner rather than later.


Mark me down as another very interested OS X user

[wintermute1]

Originally posted by Guest@Sep 24 2004, 06:37 PM
Mark me down as another very interested OS X user
Quoted post


Mark me down as an interested user as well. I have a 17 inch powerbook and would *LOVE* to get this application going on it. As is, I am tempted to try the pc version in virtualpc 6. I realize it would probably be slow as molasses -- but I am tempted.

Kudos to NASA for a great piece of software.

One last question. Has anyone from the Department of Homeland Security visited you guys to ask about the security implications of the software?

David Mussington/wintermute1

[cmaxwell]

Originally posted by wintermute1@Sep 24 2004, 03:51 PM
Mark me down as an interested user as well. I have a 17 inch powerbook and would *LOVE* to get this application going on it. As is, I am tempted to try the pc version in virtualpc 6. I realize it would probably be slow as molasses -- but I am tempted.

Kudos to NASA for a great piece of software.

One last question. Has anyone from the Department of Homeland Security visited you guys to ask about the security implications of the software?

David Mussington/wintermute1
Quoted post


It makes us feel good that people are enjoying our software, especially since we have such a small team here working on it. We too have a 17" powerbook and would love to see this software running on it (at least for performance comparisons). Virtual PC won't run this program because it cannot handle DirectX.

I'm starting a new thread for a Mac version, but I'd like to know what development suite Mac developers use for video-game like software.

[rediguana]

It probably doesn't need to be said, but here is another vote for Linux and OSX, and I'd be more than happy to test it :)

[Guest]

Rather than coding directly for Mac, Linux, etc... how about coding for accepted cross-platform standards, and then going back in and optimizing for popular platforms?

I'd be interested in having a build-time option to link against PVM/MPI libraries if they are found on the build system. We need more scientific applications that will leverage Linux clusters.

This may be a FAQ, but I can't seem to find it on the web site: what license are you releasing under?

[rgovostes]

Originally posted by cmaxwell@Sep 24 2004, 06:55 PM
Virtual PC won't run this program because it cannot handle DirectX.

Recently it was mentioned on Slashdot (as if you ever want to hear that name again!) that the next version of Virtual PC will have support for hardware acceleration, which to me implies DirectX...

[Ben Powers]

Me Again
just to add my voice to the pile, Ihave a G4 iBook and a pentium desktop running gentoo

[Guest]

Originally posted by Guest@Sep 24 2004, 07:07 PM

I'd be interested in having a build-time option to link against PVM/MPI libraries if they are found on the build system. We need more scientific applications that will leverage Linux clusters.

Quoted post


Wow, WorldWind on clusters, doing ... what ? Nah... Gimme a flight sim instead.
VR anybody? I tried the P5 glove, it seems to work OK.

Zzzz... B)

[mikev]

Originally posted by rgovostes@Sep 25 2004, 09:42 PM
Recently it was mentioned on Slashdot (as if you ever want to hear that name again!) that the next version of Virtual PC will have support for hardware acceleration, which to me implies DirectX...
Quoted post

It WAS supposed to, until Microsoft decided on G5 compatibility as a higher priority. It still runs with a generic S3 video driver...

BTW, count me in as an OS X user who would love to see a Mac version on my 15" Powerbook. :)

- Mike

[Beansprout]

Why is it that people always mention the screen sizes when they talk about their Macs? :P

[TomServo]

Originally posted by TheBeansprout@Nov 4 2004, 07:34 AM
Why is it that people always mention the screen sizes when they talk about their Macs? :P
Quoted post


Because that is the only way to tell them apart.

[Beansprout]

Originally posted by TomServo@Nov 4 2004, 01:41 PM
Because that is the only way to tell them apart.
Quoted post


Really :o

Mmm, World Wind on that 30" screen...mmmm :D

[Tormod]

Originally posted by cmaxwell@Sep 24 2004, 02:05 PM
using C# and Managed DirectX was the only way to get a deliverable out to the public in short order. We want a Linux and especially an OSX port for World Wind, and this will happen sooner rather than later. However, we are still trying to finalize certain features and functionality that are best done using our current development suite, but we want World Wind to be ported to other operating systems and we are actively seeking partnerships to accomplish this goal.

What about Mono http://www.mono-project.com - an open-source C# and .NET environment that
runs on Linux, MacOSX, Win32 and others ?
Then there is SDL to replace DirectX: http://cs-sdl.sourceforge.net/

[Molot]

And what about a great cross-platform 3d rendering engines? For example Ogre (http://www.ogre3d.org/)? It's pretty easy (--> fast!) to build software using them, and if you make net connections on SDL library or sth like that, you could just compile it on Windows, Linux and Mac easy, without changing single line of your code :] Propably on other platforms too.

I think it's cheaper to do it that way than make it for one platform and then transfering. For sure it's faster to get 3 versions (for 3 platforms) that way.

Btw count me as a Linnux user / programmer (starting :P ) and physics student.

Mono isn't a bad thing too :) But i never used it, so don't know.

The problem is that this project started on software designed to make people to use MS products. But some of us simply don't have so much $$ to use WorldWind. Now WorldWind is too expensive for me (as I would have to buy Windows...).

[Jessi]

Originally posted by Molot@Jan 25 2005, 10:48 AM
The problem is that this project started on software designed to make people to use MS products. But some of us simply don't have so much $$ to use WorldWind. Now WorldWind is too expensive for me (as I would have to buy Windows...).Quoted post

Have you tried Wine on Linux? B)

We'd be thrilled to see World Wind ported to other platforms, but we have limited development resources to do this ourselves. Anyone who wants to help with the effort is exceedingly welcome to do so. Indeed Nick Whitelegg is soliciting help for a Mono/Gtk#/OpenGL port--see the Developers' Corner pinned thread.

Jessi

[nick150971]

Originally posted by Molot@Jan 25 2005, 06:48 PM
And what about a great cross-platform 3d rendering engines? For example Ogre (http://www.ogre3d.org/)? It's pretty easy (--> fast!) to build software using them, and if you make net connections on SDL library or sth like that, you could just compile it on Windows, Linux and Mac easy, without changing single line of your code :] Propably on other platforms too.

I think it's cheaper to do it that way than make it for one platform and then transfering. For sure it's faster to get 3 versions (for 3 platforms) that way.

Btw count me as a Linnux user / programmer (starting :P ) and physics student.

Mono isn't a bad thing too :) But i never used it, so don't know.

The problem is that this project started on software designed to make people to use MS products. But some of us simply don't have so much $$ to use WorldWind. Now WorldWind is too expensive for me (as I would have to buy Windows...).
Quoted post


I have been seriously looking into the Mono/Gtk#/Tao OpenGL this week, but, I think you're quite possibly right about something like Ogre - had a quick look and it seems to save a lot of bother as it's a high level API. I think given the choice I would actually prefer to work with this sort of API though it would mean doing the port in C++ rather than C#/.NET; would people be happy with this?

Nick

[bull]

Hi Nick drop by #worldwind on freenode sometime, all the windows developers hang out there, and there are quite a few clever *nix people in there too.

Bull

[H. Philippens]

Mark me too for an OSX-version!
I hope to see Boca Raton in the USA, Smolensk in Russia, Calceranica and Rome in Italy and of course different Dutch places

[dirkpitt]

Originally posted by nick150971@Jan 29 2005, 05:17 AM
I have been seriously looking into the Mono/Gtk#/Tao OpenGL this week, but, I think you're quite possibly right about something like Ogre - had a quick look and it seems to save a lot of bother as it's a high level API. I think given the choice I would actually prefer to work with this sort of API though it would mean doing the port in C++ rather than C#/.NET; would people be happy with this?
Quoted post


Well C++ would definitely be more portable so as a Mac dev I'd be happy. The question is, would you World Wind devs be happy about doing what amounts to a complete rewrite?

Anyway, a C# port of OGRE is available: Axiom (http://www.axiom3d.org/). Apparently it uses the Tao framework. Perhaps someone who's actually used Axiom would like to comment on its usability.

[Guest]

I want it on my 20" iMac G5!!! :)

[Beansprout]

Can I just say that it's great so many people are showing interest and support for a Mac/Linux version, but please reply to the thread rather than use the "Report to Moderator" function - thanks :)

[Beert Chris van 't Hul]

Here, from the Netherlands, also a request for better support for Mac OS X

[Guest_Mike_*]

Please make a mac version!!! Please please!

[Guest]

Love to see Mac X version too, thanks.

[TomServo]

You can relax people. It will be in the works, but you can't expect the developers to drop everything right this second and begin work on other versions.

Right now the rush is to get version 1.3 done winin a few weeks. We are also still working on recruting more developers that actually HAVE Macs.

It is not as simple as a recompile, the code has to be tweaked and massaged so that it will even run on such a different platform.

[Guest]

Another vote for OSX. How can we make this happen?

[Llynix]

Originally posted by Guest@Feb 13 2005, 04:59 PM
Another vote for OSX. How can we make this happen?
Quoted post


Start coding :)

[TomServo]

Originally posted by Llynix@Feb 14 2005, 12:02 AM
Start coding :)
Quoted post



Get Apple to get us some really nice Macs. I need 2 myself (I nice 17" G5 Notebook for one of them). :D

[dirkpitt]

Originally posted by TomServo@Feb 10 2005, 09:20 PM
Right now the rush is to get version 1.3 done winin a few weeks.ÂÂ* We are also still working on recruting more developers that actually HAVE Macs.Quoted post


I have two Macs, and while sadly they're not donatable :D I can help code and test. Are you going to switch to C++ or is it C# all the way?

[TomServo]

Originally posted by dirkpitt@Feb 14 2005, 08:37 PM
I have two Macs, and while sadly they're not donatable :D I can help code and test. Are you going to switch to C++ or is it C# all the way?
Quoted post


No idea on the core language. Your best bet is to visit the IRC channel. The developers and NASA folk are there most the day and night.

[CB427]

First time I was aware of the site. World Wind is mentioned in the March edition of Wired on page 33. Another vote for OS X, current version is 10.3.8 w/ Safari 1.2.4 ( V 125.12 )

Since I am new to the forum, is there a possibility that the OS X version will actually happen ?

[Brian Glass]

Hearsay on World Wind is favorable, but my NASA-Ames group (Code TI) doesn't have PC-compatibles (only Macs, Suns and Linux boxes) so I can't even look at it myself *within Ames*...

[Beansprout]

Originally posted by TomServo@Feb 15 2005, 01:17 PM
No idea on the core language. Your best bet is to visit the IRC channel. The developers and NASA folk are there most the day and night.
Quoted post

And Llynix never leaves :D

[TomServo]

Originally posted by TheBeansprout@Feb 20 2005, 04:06 PM
And Llynix never leaves :D
Quoted post



He does too leave... under threat of the GF ;)

[monttyle]

Originally posted by Guest@Sep 24 2004, 07:07 PM
Rather than coding directly for Mac, Linux, etc... how about coding for accepted cross-platform standards, and then going back in and optimizing for popular platforms?
Hear, hear. By programming for DirectX rather than OpenGL -- both of which Windows supports quite well -- you've made the job of porting it to linux and OSX about 9 times harder. You'll need to redo the entire rendering engine.

[TomServo]

There were many reason as to why they went the route they did. But that doesn't mean all *is* lost though. I heard from one developer last night that the latest mono was able to compile some of the more complex sections of the WW code.

Another suggestion thrown on the IRC channel (where by the way you should be if you want your voice heard more clearly) is to setup an "other OS porting" dev mailing list.

I really want to see this move forward as many schools have macs in them and not PCs.

[RONALD ROUNDY]

hope we're getting closer for a MAC OS of this program...

HOPE SOON....

want to be a good user of it...thanks

[TomServo]

Hopefully after 1.3's release.. we can start looking more closely at other ports.

[dscap]

I'm super pumped about a Mac OSX version of World Wind...I can't wait (and neither can my iBook)

[NeuroX]

Yes, a Mac version please :-)! Thanks!

(G4 1.25ghz, 512meg ram, Ati 32 meg) Mac mini

[neighborlee]

I'm all for a linux versions as well..not 'everyone' has enough money to buy a 'mac OSx' but linux systems are freely available. I'm all for a crossplatform team but lets not lose sight of people that simply dont have 'funds' to get into this because the mac/windows ports are the only ones seemingly drawing posts..

in this day and age people crossplatform IS mandatory AND appropriate (of course where its possible and I can't imagine nasa not being able to handle it ).

what really surpries me is that of ALL things they used directx as the rendering engine when as the other gent says opengl works in windows too...shrug oh well its too late now ;-)...I hope the clever minds involved can work through this quagmire ;-))

next time you code please remember its a big world and not everyone has money to money OS xyz. ;-)) ( but they are still viable productive people )

thx
nl

[Xavi --- Mac Version Please!]

Please open up the code so that the open software community can port.

Thanks.

Xavi
Power Macintosh G4 - "Sawtooth"
OS X 10.3.8
800 Mhz G4
1.6 GB RAM
480 GB HDD
ATI Radeon 8500 64MB videocard

[bull]

it is already open, http://sourceforge.net/projects/nasa-exp/

so get porting.

[Jessi]

Originally posted by Xavi --- Mac Version Please!@Feb 26 2005, 02:51 PM
Please open up the code so that the open software community can port.Quoted post

You can browse CVS via SourceForge's web interface here:

http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/nasa-exp/

And you can check out the code via anonymous CVS using the instructions here:

http://sourceforge.net/cvs/?group_id=69528

Jessi

[Mark Davis]

World Wind should be launched into other operating systems -- Mac OS X and Linux are certainly the top of the list. The reason I say this, is that NASA is a goverment organization that operates with tax-payer money and should not be sucked up by the Microsoft monopoly. In the same way the federal goverment legislates that cities and businesses provide equal access to the disabled, it should use this concept to afford similar digital access to non-Microsoft systems, which may be in the minority. Not that OS X or Linux users are among the "disabled" -- on the other hand we just dare to be different and perhaps smarter.

"Just because there are billions of cockroaches does not make them superior beings."

Mark

[stief]

NASA has many projects. This is an excellent effort started by an intern. Most of the "developer' are volunteers. I've been waiting for an OS X port since September, but far more volunteers offered their Windows experience, so they get things done faster.

Relax. WW is not a big commercial enterprise, but the beginnings of a very generous public service. Try to be more encouraging and don't discourage the volunteers.

[Beansprout]

Originally posted by Mark Davis@Feb 27 2005, 10:26 PM
"Just because there are billions of cockroaches does not make them superior beings."

But given limited resources, it makes sense to code for the billions than for the thousands.

Please have patience, you have absolutely no idea how much effort not only the NASA team are putting in, but also how much the community is putting in. :)

People are staying up all hours, spending most of their free time working on WW, and even the NASA staff are working on WW on their days off! :o

Jessi stayed up until 8am one night to set up a bunch of webservers for 1.3 testing ya know!

So please don't try any of the "sucking up to the monopoly" rubbish, and accept that we are working on ports, they are a high priority, just nowhere near the top of this list at the moment :)

As stief said, try to be more encouraging and don't discourage the volunteers.

Thankyou for your understanding, and rest assured that World Wind will not ignore the minority; its goal is to reach out to everyone. :)

[Arnout]

Here just another vote for a port for Mac OS X and Linux :D

[TomServo]

Originally posted by Arnout@Feb 28 2005, 08:38 AM
Here just another vote for a port for Mac OS X and Linux :D
Quoted post



Then, write to the people listed here to increase NLT's funding: http://www.twobeds.com/nasa/people.htm

Or grab the source and start making it work in Linux and Macs :)

[psytrox]

I'd like it for LINUX! :-D Linux is so much better than windows. GO GO GO! Let me know!


Psytrox (psytrox@yahoo.com)

[Guest]

Then there is SDL to replace DirectX: http://cs-sdl.sourceforge.net/
Quoted post


I think for Graphic stuff it can use http://www.taoframework.com/
It's cross-platform and very powerfull framework... and is licensed under MIT, so 100% compatible with NOSA (I think).

[WhiteWolf]

WorldWind is an amazing software. I really hope too it will be made available for both linux and mac os x operating system since they are good plateforms for learning and coding. Maybe some universities could contribute for one of their educational project ?

[Guest]

I want to support the idea of a Linux port of the application!

[foo]

Originally posted by Tormod@Jan 17 2005, 02:41 PM
What about Mono http://www.mono-project.com - an open-source C# and .NET environment that
runs on Linux, MacOSX, Win32 and others ?
Then there is SDL to replace DirectX: http://cs-sdl.sourceforge.net/
Quoted post


I second that. There are fantastic oss and crossplatform alternatives that will meet your criteria for ease of development. Mono and SDL would be a great option since you could port from your existing code very easily (probably the SDL portion would be harder).

And as a Linux user I also second that I would love to see this running on my 15" Thinkpad running Fedora Core ( :) ). This is one app that really looks incredible.

[foo]

BTW, as you developers have already seen just by people posts in this forum, there is a huge OSS development community that can be leveraged to get development help. You have a very cool app here and if you succeeded in enrolling the OSS community you would have more free and high quality developers trying to help out than you would know what to do with.

Some tips:

- keep WorldWind on the OSS radar: submit posts to sites like Slashdot, Freshmeat, OSnews, gnomedesktop (for the gtk# port) for any new releases and requests for developers.
- Make it obvious on your site how to get involved
- Make it easy to get the source code (CVS access, tarballs, etc)
- ** Use OSS development tools and environment like Mono **

Projects that are successful in getting people involved are successful projects. See examples like Abiword, Linux Kernel, Mono, Mozilla/Firefox, etc.

[Jessi]

Although it may not be that obvious to casual users, World Wind is already the product of a significant community effort. Since NASA released version 1.2, a lot of people have devoted their time, energy, and money to World Wind. They spend their free time writing code and add-ons, moderating the forums, maintaining the World Wind Central site, maintaining the Community Landsat mirror, administering World Wind download mirrors, offering support to users, testing World Wind, brainstorming ideas about future directions for World Wind, and much more. World Wind may be called "NASA World Wind" but it is a community effort.

World Wind 1.2e and 1.3 incorporate significant code contributions from people who don't work for NASA. And just talking about code doesn't take into account all the non-code support and testing energy that community members have put in, as well as the infrastructure they have set up that facilitates contributors' work across continents, nations, and time zones. On the forums it's hard to get a sense of the full spectrum of community contributions, because many active contributors can only be found on IRC. But World Wind community contributors have been amazing and deserve kudos and recognition for their tireless and often unheralded efforts.

World Wind 1.3 was the first time the source code was posted in ZIP form simultaneously with the program release. It was also the first time we tagged the CVS tree with a release tag (WORLDWIND_1_3_0_RELEASE) from which people could pull 1.3 code. A lot of work has already been done to make contributing easier, with developer documentation on the wiki, for example. Certainly a lot of work remains to be done. But many have already dived in and are already doing their part. They're why our download servers and SourceForge's have been flooded with requests for 1.3 since Tuesday, and they are the reason behind World Wind's extensibility and vibrance.

Jessi

Originally posted by foo@Mar 5 2005, 07:42 PM
BTW, as you developers have already seen just by people posts in this forum, there is a huge OSS development community that can be leveraged to get development help. You have a very cool app here and if you succeeded in enrolling the OSS community you would have more free and high quality developers trying to help out than you would know what to do with.

Some tips:

- keep WorldWind on the OSS radar: submit posts to sites like Slashdot, Freshmeat, OSnews, gnomedesktop (for the gtk# port) for any new releases and requests for developers.
- Make it obvious on your site how to get involved
- Make it easy to get the source code (CVS access, tarballs, etc)
- ** Use OSS development tools and environment like Mono **

Projects that are successful in getting people involved are successful projects. See examples like Abiword, Linux Kernel, Mono, Mozilla/Firefox, etc.
Quoted post

[Nigel Protter]

OS X version please !

[Beansprout]

Could I also add, World Wind is currently coded by one full time programmer at NASA, Chris Maxwell, with the rest of the development being done by the community.

So if you want it ported....write to the people in my sig, or grab a friend or two who know what they're doing and show them the way here :)

[tomas fischer]

Please, make a Mac OS X version ASAP. This is too good to be only on PCs.

[Maarten Wisse]

Originally posted by cmaxwell@Sep 24 2004, 03:55 PM
It makes us feel good that people are enjoying our software, especially since we have such a small team here working on it. We too have a 17" powerbook and would love to see this software running on it (at least for performance comparisons). Virtual PC won't run this program because it cannot handle DirectX.

I'm starting a new thread for a Mac version, but I'd like to know what development suite Mac developers use for video-game like software.
Quoted post

I'm not sure about Mac, but on Linux, many 3D gaming applications are written with the SDL library. Perhaps this link might help you:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cs-sdl/

And no doubt, I'm interested too.

[macosx]

Just want to say i would REEEEEEALY like to see this app on a mac :rolleyes:

[Bellingham,Wa,Macuser]

Yes I would love a Mac OS X version please. :)

[Guest]

I would love to see a Mac OSX version! :)

[Chas D.]

Yes!! Mac OSX version please!!!

[Guest]

Please! Can the mods set up a poll for the "vote" posts?

and Bean--thanks for posting the suggestion to write nicely to NASA at http://www.twobeds.com/nasa/people.htm

I wonder though if it is presumptious for non-US citizens to write?

[stief]

Please! Can the mods set up a poll for the "vote" posts?

and Bean--thanks for putting the suggestion to write nicely to NASA in your sig.

I wonder though, if it is presumptious for non-US citizens to write?

[bull]

I think it would be fine for non-us citizens to write to them, they would be interested to see international interest I'm sure, also maybe they can show the letters to other governments to get them interested.

[sandra347]

A Mac OSX version will be great !!!

[Bill Nuttall]

just thought i'd get my vote in for an OSX version :)

[Arton]

I'm another very interested Mac user, and I'm glad to see that you're actively pursuing it. Long live OpenGL! :D

[TomServo]

Ok... people. Posting that you want it ported is NOT going to get you anywhere. I am sorry but that is the truth.

We ALREADY know the demand is there for Mac and Linux. But the FUNDING isn't there though.

Also, the source is out there.. if you have programming skills, grab it and start hacking away at a port. I know there are two projects out there that are being brought up to a level where they could be used as core replacements for WW so that it can be on several playforms. But they are not there yet.

So, you can stop the <AOL> Me too</AOL> posts. :)

[Kehrer]

Tom,

You have a really fabulous product here, congratulations on making the idea a reality.

You've noted that the demand for a Mac OS X version has been clearly recieved. That is great and I won't add a "me too" post.

I believe that some of the frustration evidenced in other posts has been generated because most of us are just baffled as to why this project was done with platform limiting technologies like C# and DirectX in the first place. Most developers seem to be actively moving away from proprietary technologies in favor of open standards (been backed into the corner by Microsoft before). Mac OS X and Linux seem to be very much on the rise. NASA is a Govt institution with a large Mac OS X installed base. Perfectly great open cross platform standards, like OpenGL and others, exist.

I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking that all the extra rewrite work, the extra funding and costs, the endless user platform requests, and the long delays and frustration just weren't necessary and could have been avoided if more appropriate technology choices had been made from the start.

I'm delighted that your software engineers and the open source community are working hard to build a version that will run on more than just late versions of Windows. I applaud your efforts. I applaud extra loud because, like most, I'm just not a coder and find it frustrating that I can't easily assist.

May you keep coding world class ideas into reality, and I can't wait to use WorldWind on all of the six Mac OS X machines that are part of my life.

kehrer_2000@yahoo.com

[5of0]

Originally posted by Kehrer@Mar 16 2005, 02:42 PM
I believe that some of the frustration evidenced in other posts has been generated because most of us are just baffled as to why this project was done with platform limiting technologies like C# and DirectX in the first place. Most developers seem to be actively moving away from proprietary technologies in favor of open standards (been backed into the corner by Microsoft before). Mac OS X and Linux seem to be very much on the rise. NASA is a Govt institution with a large Mac OS X installed base. Perfectly great open cross platform standards, like OpenGL and others, exist.
Quoted post

I'm sure we're all aware of this now, but as has been stated before (paraphrasing here):

"One Coder + Less than a year = Worldwind

IMPRESSIVE!"

WW Started as a little project for one coder, and the C#/DirectX was probably an arbitrary decision, likely what was on hand. Then all of a sudden the popularity exploded once it was featured in a magazine or two (or something) and got slashdotted. As they say, hindsight is 20/20, and looking back, OpenGL and whatever probably would have been better. But I doubt the original coder (sorry, can't remember who it is/was - is it Maxwell?) anticipated that WW would get so big. Hopefully this explains why C# and DirectX were used in the first place. :)

P.S. There's been a lot of interest in OSX, but we can't forget about Linux - count my vote.
(Now, everybody, don't get all riled up - just kidding :lol: . I can't even get Debian, Ubuntu, OR Mandrake to install on my compy without freezing! :( )

[garfildo]

Although the request for a MacOSX version has been clearly stated I cannot resist the temptation:
Please do produce a MacOSX version.
Why restrict this fabulous product to windows users?

Please, please, please

garfildo

[adamhill]

I hate sounding like a broken record, but....

It is open source. No coders have offered to take on the task. Until this happens or Steve Jobs lends NASA some coders, it will not happen.

All the 'me too'ing does not help at all.

Its 55K, 1700 lines of code, (some of those are even *blank* lines) all it takes is someone to step up to the plate. osgPlanet has built an engine to view the Earth, now someone has to integrate it.

"The world belongs to those that show up."
- Mark Sylvester (Alias Wavefront founder)

[TomServo]

Locking this because we know we want the osX and Linux ports.. but don't have the people, money and time right now.