Re: Window Managers [was: Control Center Plus - gone?]

[Sander Vesik <Sander Vesik Sun COM>]

On 13 Mar 2002, Havoc Pennington wrote:

[snip]

> 
> > Another point I would like to make is that I think the "choose a window
> > manager" functionality shouldn't be hidden. I know many (hackers, and
> > non-hackers) that change their Window Managers within gnome. I can
> > understand that this _may_ be confusing perhaps to new users, so perhaps
> > it has a place in "advanced settings" or something similiar? I'm just
> > not sure why this functionality needs to be hidden.
> 
> It's definitely confusing to new users. They don't know what a WM is,
> why they would want to change it, and in fact even if they knew those
> things they would not be interested in changing the WM because there
> is no real point in doing so. It's something that should Just Work.

But the world is not only new users. Are the only valid use cases for
gnome 2.0 'new user' and 'will just customise it all by
hand-editingvarious scripts and using command-line gconf tool'? We
definately seem to be headed that way.

It would be far easierand more sensible (imho) to have them read 'The
window frames and frame decorations, as well as placement and moving of
windows on screen is managed by a special type of program called window
manager' in the section of documentation labeled "Introduction". Window
manager is also a rather descriptively named piece of functionality as
opposed to say "panel" (or "taskbar" or ...).

> 
> Havoc
> 

	Sander

	I see a dark sail on the horizon
	Set under a dark cloud that hides the sun
	Bring me my Broadsword and clear understanding