[plt-dev] update on reimplementing MrEd

At Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:26:54 -0400, "Geoffrey S. Knauth" wrote:
> On Oct 30, 2009, at 17:17, Matthew Flatt wrote:
> 
> > And I'd still be especially happy if someone writes libraries for
> > reading GIFs or reading and writing BMPs, XBMs, or XPMs.
> 
> I'd love to help with this. 

I've heard from one other person, so be sure to claim a particular file
format here if you settle on a specific one to try.

> Questions:
> 
> - Are the desired interfaces for the future implementation already  
> specified?

No. ARGB/bitmap byte strings for the image content should work well, I
think.

> - What are the current performance benchmarks or desired performance  
> goals?

I don't think we have benchmarks, though you could try loading a large
file in the current MrEd. I doubt that performance will be an issue.

> - When you say libraries, I think `module'.  Am I right?

Yes.

> - Have there been past endian gotcha lessons worth remembering?

Nothing specific comes to mind.

> - Guessing--you don't want to write GIFs because of patent issues?

No, we already have a GIF writer implemented in Scheme.