Re: Helix stuff...

[Michael ROGERS <M Rogers cs ucl ac uk>]

>You are describing a _modal_ interface.

Yeah, I've heard of them.  :)

> These are traditionally understood to confuse users.  I hope this doesn't 
>come across to harshly, but you have just described the "vi" window manager.  

Some people like vi.  :O  (Not me, I confess.)

>If you like I can give you a play by play analogy.  Escape sequences come 
>naturally  to programmers, because we deal with them all the time.  But it 
>confuses the innocent.

I don't think keyboard shortcuts for window manipulation are something the
"innocent" use very often. Most people use the mouse for manipulating windows;
power users might want something quicker. If so, they can take the time to 
master a modal interface, as they would do with vi. It's no more confusing 
than the "insert" key, as long as you have some visual indication of which 
mode you're in.

>Change the spec?  Build gconf into E?  Heh...  I guess I don't have a better
>solution, but I have serious reservations about a modal WM.

The spec is being changed anyway. The "window manager key" could be indicated 
by a property on the root window - no need to use GConf.

Michael