Re: Outline of Caliban, a Pane Based Window Manager

On 2004-05-27 22:34:00 +0800 Thorsten Wilms <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Thu, May 27, 2004 at 10:32:25PM +1000, Karl O'Keeffe wrote:
> 
>> I've updated the wiki with a (very) brief outline of my ideas for a 
>> Y 
>> Window Manager.
>> http://y-win-wiki.jciteassist.org/y-win-wiki/PaneBasedWindowManager
>> 
>> The main (and probably most controversial) point is that windows are 
>> all 
>> displayed full screen by default, and that there will be no 
>> minimise/maximise/move/resize commands needed.
> 
> Didn't you say it should all work with existing apps?
> Can't work with spatial Nautilus or the GIMP. And even one of the few 
> apps I 
> ever use full screen, OpenOffice, still has palettes (floating 
> windows).
> 
> 
>> To enable comparisons between documents, a system whereby the screen 
>> can be 
>> split into two or four panes is used.
> 
> Overlapping windows is not only about comparing docs, but also 
> drag'n'drop 
> and fast switching between windows (you know, Fitt's law).
> 
> 
> But you should take a look at Blender (3d app).
> It has something like it's own windowing system,
> whereby what is called a Window in Blender is rather like
> Panes in other environments.
> You can split windows verticaly and horizontaly and resize every
> window by dragging the borders. Every window (usualy) has a
> header (even though these can be at the bottom) wich can hold
> buttons and menus. But the first control in every header is
> for selecting the windowtype (3d view, file-browser, schematic
> view, ...).
> Setups of these windows can be saved as Screens. Shortcuts
> allow to switch through Screens, or to maximize the window
> the mouse is over to full-screen (or minimize afterwards).
> All this allows to adapt Blender to one's own workflow
> or current task at hand.
> 
> Screenshots:
> http://wrstud.urz.uni-wuppertal.de/~ka0394/forum/04-04-10_blender_1.png
> http://wrstud.urz.uni-wuppertal.de/~ka0394/forum/04-04-10_blender_2.png
> 
> I think it might be worth trying to combine overplapping/floating 
> windows, 
> tiling and tabing on WM level.
> 
> 
> ---
> Thorsten Wilms
> 
> 

I have used blender and I agree with you. Its a good idea. I like non 
overlapping widows a lot too.

 From my experience overlapping windows can be confusing to a lot of 
people. Specially non geeks. Whats more important is that its very 
easy to implement. And be very user friendly. That kind of WM can work 
well with gnustep my main target.