[freearchitecture] Re: x3d-cad vs. step

[Lars Grobe]

Hi!

> So, don't implement them -- just connect them.

So how to connect.

I feel that most project developers do not really want to change their
software in a way that existing users and workflows are broken. This is an
important point e.g. for Blender, with an UI that is in production and won't
be changed just because some people want to fit it into an environment. So
changing apps to make them have a common look-and-feel will be difficult.

I have the following alternative ideas:

1) A central "model server" holds the model, and apps connect to it via a
defined interface. The connected apps are notified when changes are made and
can update than. So the actual apps are like browsers , as you described
them, and it would just be necessary to add the interfaces. One idea would
be the verse protocol, but I am not sure if it fits in such a centralized
approach. The UI inconsistency is still not solved.

2) We develop a new UI interface + model holding application and try to get
"engines" derived from existing projects to plug-in. So we had ONE UI, and
specialiced tools (invisible for the user).

3) We just promote a common file format and UI style among projects and see
how well they will fit together. The Linux Standards Base is a bit like
that. People will have to install a collection of tools and learn to use
them.

CU Lars.