Porting Rhythmbox to Windows

Applications
1

I have an idea that’s just what it is at the moment: an idea.

I am debating whether porting Rhythmbox to Windows is feasible and, well, good.

It may be an odd idea, and I have already been met with some resistance when presenting it to some members of certain GNU/Linux communities. I am also told that there will be a certain fee if I do so. I am not opposed to any fee or the trouble since it might be something that I can use to learn about programming.

So let’s discuss it. I am not at all serious yet as in I am not yet committed to coding it yet. If you have objections, suggestions, or bashing, just feel free to do let them out. I won’t take offence. It will help me decide whether it is a good idea or not. Just think of it as a proposal for the moment.

I’ve seen many programs out there that have been ported to Windows, like Evince, Amarok, Banshee… you see, when I am talking this idea, I do it not to mock the developers. Instead, I am paying a tribute.

Let me know what you think.

Back to you.

2

It’s certainly possible, but might be a lot of work. I recommend to start out building RythmBox in an MSYS2 MinGW environment, either using the autotools build definitions (sloooow!) or the WIP Meson port.

RythmBox uses GStreamer so you should also install that in MSYS2.

3

I hear that I need to pay a royalty fee to the authors of Rhythmbox if I make a port or any fork of Rhythmbox.

Can anyone confirm that?

4

All apps in GNOME are free software, generally under the (L)GPL license. So no, you don’t need to pay any fee. IANAL but you just need to keep your port under the same GPL license, due to to the copyleft nature of the license.

1 Like
5

vanadiae, I intend to.

Making the software commercial, or closing the source for my evil ends are not what I have in mind.

6

Where did you hear that?

7

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&p=2022552#top

8

I’m not opposed to adding Windows support to Rhythmbox, but I wouldn’t be able to help with it, and I wouldn’t be able to do test builds. It might be possible to use gitlab CI to do Windows builds, but again, I wouldn’t be able to help with that. There are no official builds of Rhythmbox for any platform, including Windows, so it might be hard for users to get something they could run.

The Windows Subsystem for Linux will soon support GUI apps, so that might be an easier way to use Rhythmbox on Windows, if that’s your goal.

9

This Windows Subsystem for Linux, is it Wine?

Anyhow, I’m still not serious, as I am still harvesting opinions.

Well, I guess I have to proceed without your help.

But as a short, what are your abilities?

10

I should have mentioned that I’m the maintainer of Rhythmbox.

11

Yes, you should have. Well met, brother.

Well, I don’t think I need any more comments here. Everyone can go crazy here.

I’ll come back to this thread to check for leads, and you guys can try to kill each other here. :smiley:

Have a good day.

12

Not sure anyone is making any such claims?

The opposite

incitement of violence toward any individual? :slight_smile:

Good luck with your port, though really it wouldn’t surprise me if - under MSYS2 - it Just Works™

13

This topic was automatically closed 14 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.