Re: Desktop-style window management

On Mon, Jan 06, 2003 at 04:02:20PM +0100, Martin Doering wrote:
> Lalo Martins wrote:
> 
> >It is *not* correct to refer to overlapping windows as "desktop-style" and
> >PicoGUI's as "PDA-style".  The non-overlapping mode of PicoGUI is perfectly
> >fit for desktops, and in fact it is *better* than overlapping.  Heck, I'm
> >looking forward to (and working on) using PicoGUI as my desktop, and I will
> >as soon as it has enough tools for me to do my work.
> >
> >In real-life practice, I *never* have seen anyone using overlapping windows
> >for real work.  Most people use one single "maximized" window at a time,
> >others (when there is legitimate need to have more than one app or set of
> >data readily available) use "tiling" (spreading the windows so that they
> >don't overlap).  Except for dialog boxes, overlapping windows are extremely
> >confusing and unintuitive.
> >
> Yes. It is interesting to read, that you work the same like me. Also 
> most collegues of mine work the same way. As far as I read, this is one 
> of the strenght of  PicoGui, that it has no overlapping windows. So why 
> go away from it. Is it not a strength, but just a shortcoming. Didn't 
> you want to keep us away from featureism?  ;-)

Hehe, most people that know me get a good laugh out of my email signature

> 
> One very fine example of a "real life" and non PDA usage of not 
> overlapping windows is the EPOC OS, which is not only used in Psion 
> organizers, but also in industry and on Psion notebooks. It's usage is 
> very natural in that it does not again implement the old style desktop 
> paradigm of a user interface, but goes back to a fullscreen on. Each 
> person can just concentrate on one (main) applciation at a time. The 
> application can for shure do what it want with the screen.

I don't think always using fullscreen is the right idea. Even on a PDA,
I  get annoyed with UIs that force you to always use a fullscreen mode
(read: Qtopia)

> 
> BTW, did you ever see overlapping windows in any of the terminals you 
> see for buying tickets, get tourist information etc.? Why should this 
> then be good on my desktop computer?
> 
> Peter, please see this as a "power" and not as a shortcoming. Also see, 
> how happy many people still are with character mode applications. This 
> power does not come from the restriction to characters, it comes from 
> the the way how simple and clear they are to use. 
> 
> The only thing I'm not so satisfied with in PicoGUI is the kind, how the 
> not ruinning programs are presented on the screen. These "rolled up" 
> windows. I better would like to press a button on my keyboard and have a 
> menu coming up, like the <ALT + TAB> in windows and have the not running 
> windows away so long. Or additional a button somewhere on the screen to 
> click with the mouse alternatively.

The new app manager I've been thinking of would solve this.
I think there was a thread on this list a while back discussing it, but
the archives are probably broke knowing sourceforge.

In summary:

  - You can have multiple 'layouts' that would be analogous to virtual
    desktops or virtual terminals. They would be easy to switch between,
    and fullscreen

  - Each layout would start with one fullscreen frame. Frames could be
    split, merged, and resized

  - Each frame has a way (a pull-down menu maybe) of selecting the app
    that resides in it

  - Any app can appear in either zero or one frame in each layout

  - The ability to have multiple layouts and to split frames would
    not get in the way of a novice's ability to sit down and use an
    app full-screen

  - Everything would be accessible from a "titlebar" on the frame,
    a compact border or button, and/or the keyboard, depending on the
    device's input and display capabilities.

  - If you select an app for a frame that's already being displayed in
    another frame in the same layout, the apps would swap places

I know I'd love to use a system like this :)
In a typical session on my desktop, I might have one layout with only a web
browser, one layout with frames displaying my email, a media player,
and an IRC app, another layout with a text editor, a few terminals, and the
same IRC app...


> 
> --
> Martin Doering
> 
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Only you can prevent creeping featurism!


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