docs/publicity/announce.txt

   1 Announcing wxWidgets 2.5.1: a cross-platform GUI toolkit
   2 ----------------------------------------------------------------
   3
   4 February 24th, 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 (partial port)
  12 - Linux/Unix/VMS with GTK+ 1.x and 2.0
  13 - Linux/Unix with X11
  14 - Linux/Unix with Motif/Lesstif
  15 - MacOS 9.x and 10.x
  16 - OS/2
  17 - MGL (Linux and DOS)
  18
  19 A non-GUI subset of wxWidgets called wxBase is also supported
  20 on most of these platforms.
  21
  22 To get wxWidgets, go to the Download page at:
  23
  24   http://www.wxwindows.org
  25
  26 This is a development snapshot, sometimes known as
  27 an 'unstable' release. Improvements include:
  28 numerous bug fixes, STL-like container classes,
  29 improved GTK+ 2 compatibility, new build system,
  30 improved Unicode compatibility, wxRenderer class,
  31 shaped frame and dialog windows on Windows and GTK+,
  32 more efficient UI update processing, print preview
  33 improvements, wxCrashReport class, OpenWatcom and
  34 Digital Mars compiler support, and more.
  35
  36 *** About wxWidgets
  37
  38 wxWidgets is a comprehensive open-source, multi-platform C++ GUI
  39 framework, that can be used to build commercial and free
  40 software. First released in 1992 under the name wxWindows, it's
  41 increasingly used by organisations and individuals all over the
  42 world due to its winning combination of sophistication, wide
  43 platform coverage, ease of use, unrestrictive licence and
  44 vibrant user community.
  45
  46 For most ports, wxWidgets adopts the native look and feel of
  47 each platform since it uses the native widget sets. There is also
  48 a generic widget set, used for example by the wxX11 port - no
  49 other widget set is required, giving the potential for embedded
  50 use.
  51
  52 An extraordinary range of classes is provided - but don't be put
  53 off by this because most people find wxWidgets easier to learn
  54 and use than MFC and other frameworks.
  55
  56 As well as comprehensive support for the usual widgets, advanced
  57 features include: HTML viewing/printing, wxImage class providing
  58 handlers for eading and writing many image types, resizeable panels
  59 and dialogs on all platforms, document/view, OpenGL support,
  60 HTML-based and context-sensitive help, wizards, drag and drop,
  61 a grid class, ODBC support, threads, sockets, container classes,
  62 a styled text control, and much more. An 1800-page reference manual
  63 is provided in HTML, MS HTML Help, WinHelp, wxWidgets Help and PDF
  64 formats, and there are over 80 samples and demos.
  65
  66 If you're an MFC user, you'll find many wxWidgets concepts
  67 reassuringly familiar, while often clearer and more consistent.
  68 If you're not, you should still find it intuitive from the start.
  69
  70 wxWidgets bindings for several other languages are available,
  71 including Python, Perl, Basic, Lua, JavaScript and Eiffel.
  72
  73 If you're considering wxWidgets, do check out some of these links:
  74
  75     http://www.wxwindows.org/feedback.htm ; Comments from users
  76     http://www.wxwindows.org/screensh.htm ; Screenshots
  77     http://www.wxwindows.org/users.htm    ; A list of some of our
  78                                           ; users
  79
  80 Have fun!
  81
  82 The wxWidgets team
  83