Thread: GUI programming? Naah!

  1. #1
    (?<!re)tired Mario F.'s Avatar
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    GUI programming? Naah!

    This is not a poll thread, although it could be. I'm just curious as to if anyone else doesn't feel that drive towards moving their C++ learning (or experience) to GUI development. I mean, I feel more excited in learning the workings of C++ and some of the concepts like multi-threading, RAII or design principles like the PIMPL idiom, than I am of learning to program in Windows or any other GUI for that matter.

    It is a fact that I have absolutely no intention of ever going professional with C++. I'm not learning it to put it in my resume. My resume in fact is a thing of the past. I'm getting ready to abandon the programming profession. I'm learning it because I love programming and this is finally the time I can devote myself to C++. But is there anyone else out there who doesn't really feel inclined to GUI programming and instead prefer to dwell on other aspects of the language?
    Originally Posted by brewbuck:
    Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

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    Crazy Fool Perspective's Avatar
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    GUI programming is one of the most dreaded aspects of programming IMHO.... I'd be more than giddy if I never wrote another GUI again, thats what the code monkeys are for

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    Just Lurking Dave_Sinkula's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mario F.
    But is there anyone else out there who doesn't really feel inclined to GUI programming and instead prefer to dwell on other aspects of the language?
    I've tried to go GUI several times in the last decade, but it never took. It just doesn't fit well with what I do.
    7. It is easier to write an incorrect program than understand a correct one.
    40. There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.*

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    pwns nooblars
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    I have felt inclined several times, I have learned wxWidgets enough to do basic GUI. But, in general, I can't justify the time it takes to make a good GUI for any program I write, since I would rather use it comandline and/or make a P/TK interface that sets a config file... then upon hitting the run button executes the program with those settings.

    P/TK GUI takes ~3 hours to make nice one

    (For those that don't know P/TK is portable TK ( believe that is the name ) and I use it with Perl.

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    Devil's Advocate SlyMaelstrom's Avatar
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    After taking a semester of Visual Basic Programming... where the teacher was more interested in seeing a pretty font than he was seeing an efficient sorting algorithm... I've felt inclined to never look at a GUI, again. In fact... I read this forum via the command line...

    ... or do I?
    Sent from my iPadŽ

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    The superhaterodyne twomers's Avatar
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    >> I read this forum via the command line...

    Me too. Your milk carton is an array of moving dots. It's rather cool.

    I got a book about GUI, but never used it (got it for &#163;5 when I was in Scotland last sumer, and didn't really look at it much). (I'm thinking lots of the windows programming guru's will be here agreeing with the majority soon ...)

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    Reverse Engineer maxorator's Avatar
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    GUI is nothing more than "user-friendly" design. There are many types of software that cannot be developed without GUI. There are many types of software where GUI is pointless. But if you develop software for dumbusers, you should choose GUI.

    I personally think GUI is fun. Nothing more. Just fun.
    "The Internet treats censorship as damage and routes around it." - John Gilmore

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    (?<!re)tired Mario F.'s Avatar
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    Good to know I'm not the only one. Truth be told though when I look at WxWidgets, WinAPI or even MFC C++ code, I struggle to make sense of it. So probably there is also an hint of fear and lazyness on my part there.

    Since I do enjoy exploring the language, there may come a day that I will simply wake up wanting to try it. But I'm pretty sure the main motivation is the lack of motivation. Even during my Visual Basic days, I was always more interested on algorithms, code correctness and language features than I was really interested on the actual development of applications for windows.
    Originally Posted by brewbuck:
    Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

  9. #9
    Reverse Engineer maxorator's Avatar
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    No wonder you don't like GUI programming... you started with Visual Basic!!!
    "The Internet treats censorship as damage and routes around it." - John Gilmore

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    (?<!re)tired Mario F.'s Avatar
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    Actually I started windows programming with Delphi and Command Center ++.

    However... I'm curious... have you ever programmed in Visual Basic? I mean really program, not dabble in it.

    I love it this Visual-Basic-Sux steryotype that people developed from hearsay. It's even more fun when you consider that a vast majority of windows business applications running everything inside a company from budgets to paychecks were developed in Visual Basic.
    Originally Posted by brewbuck:
    Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

  11. #11
    The superhaterodyne twomers's Avatar
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    >> have you ever programmed in Visual Basic?

    Me '-' Nope. Not even a dabble, to be honest, which is why I generally don't go into the whole 'VB sux' thing.
    Last edited by twomers; 10-13-2006 at 04:45 AM.

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    I do GUI work on virtually all the applications I make. Usually I write applications to fill a purpose for which I can't find a prewritten applications, and in general, if it's complicated enough to need a program it's usually complicated enough to need a GUI.

    I use MFC for most, WinAPI for the rest. I've considered learning C#/.NET programming as GUI work is supposed to be a whole lot simpler, but I do just fine in MFC.

    And no, never did Visual Basic myself; when I learned BASIC there was no such thing (that would have been circa 1989 or so), and by 1991, when VB 1.0 came out, I was using C++ (though admittedly very poorly for a few years).
    Last edited by Cat; 10-13-2006 at 04:47 AM.
    You ever try a pink golf ball, Wally? Why, the wind shear on a pink ball alone can take the head clean off a 90 pound midget at 300 yards.

  13. #13
    (?<!re)tired Mario F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by twomers
    Me? Nope. Not even a dabble, to be honest, which is why I generally don't go into the whole 'VB sux' thing.
    I wasn't talking to you, silly.
    Originally Posted by brewbuck:
    Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

  14. #14
    The superhaterodyne twomers's Avatar
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    I know. I meant to put a '-' instead of a '?' there ... sorry for stealing the post

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    I find the Win32 API interesting and gratifying. I'm far from having mastered C++, but I feel like learning Win32 at the same time is a good change from the not-pretty-looking console programs.

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