docs/publicity/announce.txt

   1 Announcing wxWidgets 2.5.4: a cross-platform GUI toolkit
   2 ----------------------------------------------------------------
   3
   4 October 11th, 2004 -- the wxWidgets team is pleased to announce
   5 a development snapshot release of the mature cross-platform C++
   6 application framework.
   7
   8 The following platforms are supported:
   9
  10 - Windows 95/98/ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP
  11 - Windows CE
  12 - Linux/Unix/VMS with GTK+ 1.x and 2.0
  13 - Linux/Unix with X11 (beta)
  14 - Linux/Unix with Motif/Lesstif
  15 - Mac OS 9.x and 10.x using Carbon
  16 - Mac OS 10.x using Cocoa (beta)
  17 - OS/2 (beta)
  18 - MGL (Linux and DOS)
  19
  20 A non-GUI subset of wxWidgets called wxBase is also supported
  21 on most of these platforms.
  22
  23 To get wxWidgets, go to the Download page at:
  24
  25   http://www.wxwidgets.org
  26
  27 This is a development snapshot, sometimes known as
  28 an 'unstable' release. Improvements over 2.4.x include:
  29 numerous bug fixes, STL-like container classes,
  30 improved GTK+ 2 compatibility, new build system,
  31 improved Unicode compatibility, wxRenderer class,
  32 shaped frame and dialog windows on Windows and GTK+,
  33 more efficient UI update processing, print preview
  34 improvements, wxCrashReport class, OpenWatcom and
  35 Digital Mars compiler support, and more. Improvements
  36 over 2.5.2 include much improved Mac OS X and Windows CE
  37 support, as well as the usual bug fixes and minor enhancements.
  38
  39 *** About wxWidgets
  40
  41 wxWidgets is a comprehensive open-source, multi-platform C++ GUI
  42 framework, that can be used to build commercial and free
  43 software. First released in 1992 under the name wxWindows, it's
  44 increasingly used by organisations and individuals all over the
  45 world due to its winning combination of sophistication, wide
  46 platform coverage, ease of use, unrestrictive licence and
  47 vibrant user community.
  48
  49 For most ports, wxWidgets adopts the native look and feel of
  50 each platform since it uses the native widget sets. There is also
  51 a generic widget set, used for example by the wxX11 port - no
  52 other widget set is required, giving the potential for embedded
  53 use.
  54
  55 An extraordinary range of classes is provided - but don't be put
  56 off by this because most people find wxWidgets easier to learn
  57 and use than MFC and other frameworks.
  58
  59 As well as comprehensive support for the usual widgets, advanced
  60 features include: HTML viewing/printing, wxImage class providing
  61 handlers for reading and writing many image types, resizeable panels
  62 and dialogs on all platforms, document/view, OpenGL support,
  63 HTML-based and context-sensitive help, wizards, drag and drop,
  64 a grid class, ODBC support, threads, sockets, container classes,
  65 a styled text control, and much more. An 1800-page reference manual
  66 is provided in HTML, MS HTML Help, WinHelp, wxWidgets Help and PDF
  67 formats, and there are over 80 samples and demos.
  68
  69 If you're an MFC user, you'll find many wxWidgets concepts
  70 reassuringly familiar, while often clearer and more consistent.
  71 If you're not, you should still find it intuitive from the start.
  72
  73 wxWidgets bindings for several other languages are available,
  74 including Python, Perl, Basic, Lua, JavaScript and Eiffel.
  75
  76 If you're considering wxWidgets, do check out some of these links:
  77
  78     http://www.wxwidgets.org/feedback.htm ; Comments from users
  79     http://www.wxwidgets.org/screensh.htm ; Screenshots
  80     http://www.wxwidgets.org/users.htm    ; A list of some of our
  81                                           ; users
  82
  83 Have fun!
  84
  85 The wxWidgets team
  86