Re: irc summary

[John R Sheets <dusk smsi-roman com>]

Chris Jantzen wrote:
> 
> I am sure that some of my statements here will cause some knee-jerk
> reactions and flames, but I believe that I am speaking for a majority
> of real world programmers here. Think carefully before replying (let
> it sit for a few hours).

Don't need to.  Speaking as a real-world programmer, I agree with
you.  It would be a mistake to not use the Style Guide as a
central programmers' resource.  It is critical that the GNOME
libs fully support the style guide with clean, easy-to-implement
API's.  

One of the most prevalent limitations (IMHO) of Windows
programming is the fragmentation and disorganization of the
standard API's.  Some simple-seeming handy features are _very_
difficult to implement because the API's won't allow you to do it
directly.  Or you have to preface the main API call with endless
data manipulations & predigestions to get what you want.

Chris raises a very good point: the more completely-implemented
the global UI features are (in the style guide, and thus in
GNOME), the easier it will be to follow the style guide.  The
user should be the one with all the decisions.  And if the API's
are well-done, the programmer will have the power to deviate when
the app requires it.

Very eloquent statement, Chris.

John