Re: Single-window interface [was: a standard for diagram document format]

[Lars Clausen <lars raeder dk>]

On Jun 13, 2008, at 8:05 PM, Sameer Sahasrabuddhe wrote:

> Thanks for changing the subject line ... that was rather careless of  
> me!
>
> On Fri, Jun 13, 2008 at 8:54 PM, Maciej Jaros <egil wp pl> wrote:
>
> > It is convenient until you have 3 other windows and 3 diagrams  
> > opened and
> > switch between them and wan to select shapes in the mean time...  
> > Plus there
> > are standard shortcuts for switching inner windows - CTRL+TAB /
> > CTRL+SHIFT+TAB.
>
> Only 3? I have anywhere between 10 to 20 windows open when I am
> working on the diagrams I need --- including other applications. I
> firmly believe that managing windows is the job of a window manager. I
> use Compiz, and the Scale plugin takes care of just about any issues
> with switching windows. And the "always on top" sticky bit on the
> shapes palette is quite useful too.
>
> Anyway, I think I am on the verge of starting a completely unnecessary
> flamewar here. My only point is that neither is a good solution ---
> single windows or multiple windows --- that fits all uses. Some people
> are inconvenienced by the current multiple windows, and I am not one
> of them. When (If?) Dia shifts to a single-window interface, I will be
> one of those inconvenienced by THAT. It would be great if I had a
> choice. An even better idea would be to just stick with what we have,
> and see what happens to Gimp.
>
> And yes, before anyone says it, "because that's how (other popular)
> applications work (on windows)" is not a good enough reason.

I use and see advantages of both. On a Mac, or if you use click-to- 
focus, a single window is a lot easier. Also, some benighted OSes  
don't have powerful WMs like Compiz. It  is, and should be a choice.

-Lars