Re: Logic behind CLOSE and EXIT.

[Rodd Clarkson <rodd pnp com au>]

> > Yep, but that's how windows users think.  And if your trying to get them
> > to move over to a clearly superior platform ;-] they're not going to
> > stay around to long if things aren't at least similar to what they are
> > used to.
> >
> 
> I don't  agree with you. People are bored with Windows for very specific
> reasons. It means that if it is to have the same on Linux than on Windows, why
> would they change ? If it is all the same where's the advantage to change ?
> 
> That's what people will think ...

I agree, if there's no difference between the two why change.  But
you've gotta look at the broader picture.  You're not just changing to
Gnome from Windows (or Mac, Amiga, etc) your changing to Linux.  And
that in itself is a huge change, more stable, more configurable, safer,
faster, leaner (for the most part) and much much much more variety.

Furthermore, I agree that there needs to be differences (above and
beyond thos above) if you're switching from excel, 1-2-3, whatever to
gnumeric and that you don't want to simply imitate what they are doing. 
But at the same time you've also gotta convince people that the change
is going to be worthwhile and easy.

I'm not advocating that we do everything the same as windows, I dont'
think that or I'd still be using windows.  But windows does have it's
strong points, which we can learn from.

However, what I'm proposing isn't so much about how windows does it, but
more about doing things so that users can work the way they want to
work, whilst having a consistent command set.  Thus, having CLOSE exit
shouldn't be an option.  If you want to CLOSE you CLOSE and if you want
to EXIT you EXIT.

These may seem like simple things, but theses are the things that are
going to be focused on (have you every read that famous web page on
interface design mistakes - the name slips me).  This simple issue of
CLOSE and EXIT, or workbooks in a single window or each in their own
WINDOWS are the things that users use every single time they use
gnumeric, and these are the things that whilst small will drive them
away or encourage them to stay.  I'd like them to stay, because gnumeric
has a lot to offer.

Rodd