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This question can be considered as extension to Original question is there any framework using which we can deploy the app across operating systems. Like build once , deploy anywhere ?? if not, Can c++ be used to build a similar application in linux and Mac Os?

Update Does Ruby language help to achieve this ?

Community
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Hemanth
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  • Have you considered [C#](http://mono-project.com) with a [Gtk#](http://mono-project.com/GtkSharp) UI? – cdhowie Dec 10 '10 at 07:00
  • @cdhowie: mono looks interesting!!! – Hemanth Dec 10 '10 at 07:30
  • Just to give you an idea of the real-world projects using mono, [this media player](http://banshee.fm/) was written using mostly C#, and a bit of C glue for the GStreamer backend. It runs on Linux and OS X, and there is a Windows port in the works. But less complicated software, like a chat program, should be able to run across all three platforms with fairly minimal porting work. – cdhowie Dec 10 '10 at 07:32

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There is only one desktop technology that is truly cross paltform: html. And with jquery/ajax/html5 you'd be surprised how application-like you can make it look and feel.

For build once - run everywhere, there are only two serious options: Mono or Java. Build once - run everywhere has the downside of having to deploy the runtime for the operating system. Plus it seems to be hard to get a decent and solid UI that feels good on all operating systems. Chances are, that you will also have to put some extra effort into getting good performance and startup times.

There is also Adobe Air, which might be a good option too.

Cross platform development these days is most often done using c++ and QT.

You also should get yourself a decent jabber/XMPP library.

bitbonk
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  • *Only two serious options!?* What about Python? – Chris Morgan Dec 10 '10 at 07:05
  • I really wouldn't go for python for a desktop application. – bitbonk Dec 10 '10 at 07:10
  • If it's supposed to be a closed-source app, Python really doesn't work. (Otherwise, it would.) – cdhowie Dec 10 '10 at 07:12
  • @cdhowie: in that case, Java doesn't either. [Nor does any language.](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/261638/how-do-i-protect-python-code/261727#261727) – Chris Morgan Dec 10 '10 at 07:14
  • @Chris: Of course, anything is reversible. However, it's unlikely that someone capable of reverse engineering machine language is going to spend time messing with a chat program, while someone not much smarter than a script kiddie has a pretty good shot at it if the program is written in Python. – cdhowie Dec 10 '10 at 07:19
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Python. It's a lovely language to work in.

For building a GUI, you get lots of choice; there are PyQt4 and PySide (both Qt), there's PyGTK (GTK), wxPython (wxWidgets), and more.

Of course, there are other options, but I say Python and focus on Python because it's what I would absolutely always work in.

Chris Morgan
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