Alternate Interfaces

[Gleef <gleef capital net>]

Here is a patch to ui-guide.sgml for supporting the GNOME Alternative
Interfaces.  There are three distinct types of GNOME interfaces.  There is
the traditional menu bar, there are applications that use buttons (either
in a button bar or scattered), and there are applications that use a
pop-up menu on the right mouse button.

Each of these interfaces needs their own sections for requirements, to
ensure that their interface is as easy to use and sensible as possible.
Considering I think most of us will agree that such information should be
covered, but we may not agree on how, I have left out the detailed
requirements of each section for future insertion.

I was not entirely sure where these requirements should go.  I put markers
in each section for inserting the requirements, but currently, the
requirements for Menu Bar applications are below, in the Menus section.
Take a look, what do people think should go where?

Also, I did the patch with a "diff -uN" on the sgml file.  Federico, if
patches should be in a different format, or off of the txt file, please
let me know.

-Gleef
--- ui-guide.sgml.orig	Mon Aug 10 18:30:40 1998
+++ ui-guide.sgml	Mon Aug 10 21:22:10 1998
@@ -160,13 +158,58 @@
 
       [Screenshot/diagram of a skeleton GnomeApp window]
       </para>
+      <para>
+      Some standard menu bar applications may supplement their menu 
+      bar interface with a toolbar or a pop-up menu tree.  As long 
+      as the menu bar is visible, the application must follow the 
+      requirements for a menu bar interface, and need not follow the 
+      requirements of the alternate interfaces listed below.  It is 
+      recommended, however that you read the sections below, and 
+      incorporate what is appropriate.
+      </para>
+      <para>
+      For example, an application with a menu bar and a toolbar below 
+      it does not need to have an Exit button on the toolbar as well as 
+      in the menus.  If, however, the application does have such an Exit 
+      button, it should follow the location and labelling requirements 
+      given in the Button Application section.
+      </para>
+      [Insert required menu guidelines here?  Or below?]
+      </para>
+    </sect2>
+    <sect2>
+      <title>Alternate Interface -- Button Applications</title>
+      <para>
+      Many lightweight applications, in order to provide a simpler 
+      and faster interface, will not bother with a menubar, and work 
+      via buttons in the application window.  These buttons may be
+      organized in a toolbar along the edge of the application, or in
+      discrete buttons, placed to simulate a real-world interface or a
+      dialog box.
+      </para>
+      <para>
+      [Insert requirements for button applications here.  For example,
+      location and labelling of the Exit button]
+      </para>
     </sect2>
     <sect2>
-      <title>Non-standard application windows</title>
+      <title>Alternate Interface -- Popup Menu Applications</title>
+      <para>
+      Some programs, such as graphics programs, in order to maximize
+      the space available in the window, will not bother with a menu
+      bar, and rather work via a pop-up menu.  This pop-up menu will
+      be defined by default to be the right mouse button, but there will
+      be an option for changing this button GNOME-wide.
+      </para>
+      <para>
+      Some applications may allow the user to choose between a menu bar
+      and a popup menu.  Such applications must follow the above [below?]
+      menu requirements for when the menu bar is visible, and the below 
+      pop-up requirements for when the menu bar is not.
+      </para>
       <para>
-      [For example, the gtcd CD player uses a toplevel window with no menu
-      bar or tool bar; explain why and when can non-standard application
-      windows be used.]
+      [Insert requirements for popup applications here.  For example,
+      Exit must be the last item on the top level menu]
       </para>
     </sect2>
   </sect1>