Viewports/Workspaces again

[Lindsay Haisley <fmouse-x98nof fmp com>]

Where are we on the Gnome2 Viewports/Workspaces issue?  The last time I
checked on Gnome2, on a box I have tracking Debian unstable, the
functionality of viewports was still missing.

I'm going to add a few comments on this list.  I haven't done so before.  I
am a busy man, and don't have time to track the Gnome developers' work, but
I was dissapointed enough in the removal of the 2D desktop space in Gnome2
that I subscribed to this list for the purpose of registering my opinion.

*  As a non-developer (I did my open source work in the early 80s in ZCPR
   for the 8 bit processors before there was "open source") I really
   appreciate what the Gnome development community has done!  Thanks!  
   Please keep this in mind as you read the rest of this post.

*  One of the main reasons I use Gnome over KDE is the convenience of the 
   contiguous 2D desktop made available by Gnome viewports.  I found a whole
   slew of user comments in the archives for this list on this topic, which
   I came across while googling for a way to get back the functionality I
   had in Gnome 1.  Apparently I'm not the only person who feels this way.
   
*  I appreciate the developers' desire to simplify the Viewport/Workspace
   model, but I'd like to respectfully request that the baby not be thrown
   out with the wash here.  This model has been around in X window managers
   for perhaps 10 years.  Maybe it needs some simplification.  If you're
   going to eliminate "viewports", I don't give a rat's butt in a Texas
   tornado what the remaining functionality is called, but please leave us
   with geometrically contiguous work areas as were present in Gnome1,
   including the ability to have windows which overlap into adjacent viewing
   areas.  I can't tell you how many times I've had to deal with some
   misbehaving application which threw out a huge window or menu which
   required me to page down to the next window to get to the part I needed
   to access.
   
*  I ain't gonna file no "feature request" bugzilla report on this.  Y'all
   can read and understand what I'm saying here and pass it around.  Please
   consider it a vote from a dedicated Gnome user to _keep_ the 2D extended
   desk space as available in Gnome 1 (also in fvwm and doubtless other X
   window managers).  I saw a lot of pretty condescending comments from the
   developers to people saying what I'm saying.  I'm going to unsubscribe
   after posting this and won't respond if you flame me for not following
   the archives for the past n years (I'm busy making a living), or for 
   needing this feature (not all useful applications are created equal) or
   wanting it (I love my contiguous desktops!) or anything else.
   
Ciao,

-- 
Lindsay Haisley       | "Everything works    |     PGP public key
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