Multiplatform solution

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abb
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Multiplatform solution

Postby abb » Fri May 01, 2009 5:55 am

Why did you choose the OCX usage? Why not Netscape plugin? I'm now dealing with it on Mac and I've found that Netscape plugin usage is more "transparent" way, where you don't need to load any DLLs into memory manually, etc. and that way is more platform-independent, whereas OCX is for Windows only.

What do you think about all that?

Thanks.

Softanics
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Re: Multiplatform solution

Postby Softanics » Fri May 01, 2009 7:47 am

abb wrote:Why did you choose the OCX usage? Why not Netscape plugin?


Historical reasons.

abb wrote:I'm now dealing with it on Mac and I've found that Netscape plugin usage is more "transparent" way, where you don't need to load any DLLs into memory manually, etc. and that way is more platform-independent, whereas OCX is for Windows only.

What do you think about all that?


If it's necessary to create a stanalone application, you should load an OCX or Plugin from memory, right? It doesn't matter what you use: ocx or plugin.

Thank you.
Best regards, Artem A. Razin,
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abb
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:32 pm
Location: Russia

Re: Multiplatform solution

Postby abb » Fri May 01, 2009 6:33 pm

Softanics wrote:If it's necessary to create a stanalone application, you should load an OCX or Plugin from memory, right? It doesn't matter what you use: ocx or plugin.

I beleave it's not pretty correct. First of all, Netscape plugin _is_not_ loaded _from_memory_. It is loaded, as usual DLL. All tricks with loading SWF from memory are performed _after_ that. Netscape Plugin interface has _documented_ way of its embedding into user application. You are using _undocumented_ way of OCX loading, implementing (partially) operating system functions. I hope you'll not dispute this statement.

But this is not the subject.

The subject is that Netscape plugin interface is multiplatform _by_default_. OCX-based solution is oriented to MS Windows and can be used _only_ under Windows. Aren't you agree?

I don't wish to tell that your solution is bad - no, it's good! But it's monoplatform one. As software developer, I must use _different_ solutions to create really multiplatform software. Didn't you think about multiplatform solution? Your market would be much wider! Am I wrong?

Thanks.

Softanics
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Re: Multiplatform solution

Postby Softanics » Sat May 02, 2009 9:25 am

abb wrote:I beleave it's not pretty correct. First of all, Netscape plugin _is_not_ loaded _from_memory_. It is loaded, as usual DLL. All tricks with loading SWF from memory are performed _after_ that. Netscape Plugin interface has _documented_ way of its embedding into user application. You are using _undocumented_ way of OCX loading, implementing (partially) operating system functions. I hope you'll not dispute this statement.


"Standalone" means "single exe", so if an EXE loads Netscape plugin using LoadLibrary, it's not standalone.

f-in-box also could do load flash ocx using usual LoadLibrary.

abb wrote:The subject is that Netscape plugin interface is multiplatform _by_default_. OCX-based solution is oriented to MS Windows and can be used _only_ under Windows. Aren't you agree?


Agree, of course.

abb wrote:I don't wish to tell that your solution is bad - no, it's good! But it's monoplatform one. As software developer, I must use _different_ solutions to create really multiplatform software. Didn't you think about multiplatform solution? Your market would be much wider! Am I wrong?


You're right, and some customers wrote about this idea... Yes, we should think about that.

Thank you.
Best regards, Artem A. Razin,

F-IN-BOX support

Ask your question here: http://www.f-in-box.com/support.html

abb
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:32 pm
Location: Russia

Re: Multiplatform solution

Postby abb » Sat May 02, 2009 10:05 am

Softanics wrote:"Standalone" means "single exe", so if an EXE loads Netscape plugin using LoadLibrary, it's not standalone.

Sorry, I,ve mised this fact out. But I had in mind a bit different aspect...
Softanics wrote:f-in-box also could do load flash ocx using usual LoadLibrary.

Even when you load OCX from a disk file, you always use _your_own_ loading procedure, because otherwise you'll have no ability to load SWF from memory and do other related things like LoadAsynch() etc.

What I talked about was that Netscape plugin provides you with a way to do all the same tricks using standard, documented interface, and do it _outside_ of LoadLibrary() interception. Of course, you need to have an ability to load DLL from memory, if you wish to build single EXE, but all other tricks, you're doing now, are gone away. As I beleave now (after few monthes of NP API code digging) Netscape plugin interface is more "transparent" and clear way to do these things. And it is multiplatform one.

The only aspect, which is yet not so clear for me at present, is how it is compared with OCX-based solution in CPU usage.

Hope now we understand each other.

Thanks.


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