On 18.05.2010, at 00:46, Anthony Liguori wrote: > On 05/17/2010 05:26 PM, Alexander Graf wrote: >> I'm trying to think of a project where the clean separation between multiple >> video outputs implemented in the backend and a separate frontend worked out. >> So far the only case that has a strikingly similar architecture coming to my >> mind is mplayer. And I wouldn't call mplayer's GUI story a huge success. >> >> In fact, couldn't we rather keep all graphic output out of qemu and just >> expose VNC, possibly with self-made additions to the protocol to speed up >> local rendering (thinking an SHM extension here)? > > I think the whole reason this has failed is that if the GUI is a separate > project, the path of least resistance is to use existing interfaces instead > of inventing new ones. That means these GUIs tend to be restricted by > whatever management interface exists which isn't actually good enough. > > You really need to have the GUI as part of the main project such that when it > needs a new interface, it can be added very easily.
I agree on that part. > >> Then we could still offer a separate SDL based viewer that could do the >> same things it does now. But we'd also open up the gate for a whole new >> integration level with possible GUIs. >> > > You could, but I think it introduces more complexity which just is going to > get in the way of building a good GUI. The main benefit I see by taking an always-vnc approach would be that everything becomes 100% networkable. There's nothing getting in your way because you're doing things on a remote machine. And you even get the same look&feel you got from the local connection because it's the same tool connecting you. But yeah, maybe it does add too much complexity. I don't know. Alex
