Re: Can end users configure XUL interfaces?

Quoting Laurent Jouanneau <[email protected]>:

> >
> > Creating estensions may be easy for a programmer
but certainly it is not
> for a
> > end-user. A _real_ end-user is the kind of person
you can see behind the
> desk
> > of a post office or a bank, that is: a clerk or a
secretary. This kind of
> > person does not edit XML files to change the UI of
an application (even
> > granted that such a sophisticated feature is
actually required or useful).
> >
> 
> I'am agree with you Alessandro. But Wil wants that
the user could change
> the UI, *deeply* (replace a tree by a list box for
example). this is not
> an end-user as you describe. An end-user will never
change the ui of an
> application (except cosmetic change like
toolbars..). I don't know a
> technology that allow an end user to change the UI
and so change the
> behavior of the UI, without writing some line of
code (xml, js, java,
> visual basic or other).
> 

This is my point exactly, even any technology that
allowed a user to change the look of a GUI will not
allow the functionality to change with out some
coding.


> Three languages to perfom three different things
(XUL = GUI, JS =
> behaviors, CSS= look). For me, this is a good thing
because it is clear
> : we haven't a file where all of this datas are
mixed. So developpement
> is easier. Source code is clear.

I agree with this, especially as it's a bit more
MVC(?) compliant (I'm guessing!) and it means if a
user only wants to change the look of the app then
only the css file needs changed, which is a common
technology.


> > There are easier ways to accomplish such a task.
> >
> > For example, have a look at wxWidgets
(www.wxwidgets.org) or wxPython for a
> > good cross-platform GUI library. You can use a XML
file to describe the UI
> > interface of a wxWidgets application (see wxGlade)
and there are a few nice
> > UI builders (see DialogBlocks or wxHatch). It may
be what you are looking
> > for.
> 
> well, ask now a user, to modify the gui of your
software, adding new
> buttons, changing a menu or else, *without* modify
the software itself.
> I don't know if you can do it with wx*. But with a
Mozilla application,
> you can : look at the firefox extensions. You can
update the software
> without to apply again and again your modification,
to apply some patch
> or else on the source code of the application. You
only need to make few
> modification in your extension (if necessary), and
update the extension
> (which can be automatic throw a network with the
update system of the
> mozilla framework).
> 

I thought again this morning about going down some
other scripting route as Alessandro is the thrid
person to mention it!

Personally Mozilla suits me more as my app sits on top
of a web site, so having a browser feel will initially
keep users happy. Most importantly, web technologies
are more familiar and as such it will be easier to
persuade users to try out playing with them.
If I were to say to most users ( those with the
requisite ability ) that the GUI is written in Python
( or any other technology I know that I know nothing
about ) I suspect it may put some of them off, I know
it would put me off.

Thanks for the replies, it has really made me think
about what I want out of the gui. Just hope I'm not
going down a blind alley!


Wil


		
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