Hello folks,
I'm the original author of the gd graphics library used in PHP.
Although there are alternatives, gd is probably the most common way to
manipulate images on the fly in PHP code.
As some of you are no doubt aware, I haven't released a new gd update
in quite some time. Other projects took up vastly more time than
expected, and it's dawned on me that this is not going to change.
Also, gd has forked already, with many improvements and fixes existing
only in the PHP version. So it's time to do the right thing and offer
the bazaar-keepers the keys to the cathedral.
What I am proposing is to move gd development to php.net. I would still
like to maintain http://www.boutell.com/gd/ as a useful resource for gd
programmers and make contributions myself as an individual developer.
But php.net would become the official home of gd, and I would
relinquish control.
The issues I can see with this proposal are:
1. Interest. Does the PHP community want to take this on? PHP developers,
including some involved with patching the PHP "fork" of gd, have
expressed interest in the past. But I'm not assuming they are
still interested. So, you tell me.
2. Licensing. gd is already in PHP, so this shouldn't be a big
problem, but concerns might be raised.
3. Continued support for using gd from C and, therefore, from
other non-PHP languages. Right now, gd has a reasonable API for
C programmers and others, such as Lincoln Stein, wrap that API for
languages like Perl, Ruby, etc. I don't know whether the PHP
developers would be excited about continuing to offer a
human-programmer-friendly C API for features added in the future.
Also, it should continue to be possible to build gd in the
absence of the rest of PHP.
A strong motivation for this, from PHP's point of view: support
for other languages leverages the bug-fixing and enhancement-making
abilities of developers outside the PHP community, improving
PHP's graphics capabilities as a result.
4. Maintaining programmer documentation for the C API. Volunteers
from outside the PHP community might be needed to make that continue
to happen.
5. Patches already submitted to me need reviewing and possible
application. I would gladly make my gd inbox available.
What's your thinking, PHP folks? Has the time come for
gd to become a PHP project? Are those interested in that also
willing to ensure that gd remains useful to non-PHP developers?
--
Thomas Boutell
Boutell.Com, Inc.
http://www.boutell.com/
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