Re: To answer your question about the upcoming Style-Guide...

[George <jirka 5z com>]

On Fri, Jul 24, 1998 at 01:55:03AM -0700, Dan Kaminsky wrote:
> What I'm talking about is *default behavior*.  I *rail* on Windows because
> default behavior requests that apps install into author subheadings instead
> of app category subheadings.  That, and the Programs section has no purpose.

I don't see the point of this arguemtn ... nobody is saying otherwise ...
and this is the way it IS

have you even looked at gnome?

> BY DEFAULT, apps should not install directly onto the toolbar, nor should
> they install into categories enclosed on the toolbar.  The default standard
> should be the one the designers believe is the most efficient.  If the user
> has a specific case, the *user* should choose to move the app to the
> Gnomeprint.

that's what it is ... default is to put a .desktop files somewhere in the
system apps/ menu ...

the app shouldn't try to add it directly to a panel anyway .. since it doesn't
know the panel setup ... the setup doesn't have to be a single bar at the
bottom .. it can be a wharf like corner widget on the top right .... and
for all it knows panel 0 could be some obscure drawer somewhere

the gnome panel is not a single bar panel ... that's just the way it starts
up at first .. and that's the way most people like it as it seems

> Actually, I think the Gnomeprint and the app loaders right now are *far* too
> large.  The only reason right now I see for objects of this size is the
> Stealth Project that I just got the screen shots to complete...

the reason they are large is "the icon wants to be readable" .. and the more
important reason is that gnome panel is not just a launcher .. it can also
host applets ... and most applets require more space ...

plus if they were any smaller they would be hard to hit with the mouse ...

that's why there are all those ways to hide the panels out of the way

> The big question is, since *any* object along a side is going to make it
> more difficult to utilize the rest of that side, assuming you use a single
> side for all information that should constantly be on screen...what
> information gets through?
> 
> What indeed...

ummm .. I don't really know what you mean here ... if I have a corner
applet on the top .. I can still use the rest of that side for extra space
for smaller windows ... it would only be "wasted" had I used only one
app at a time, maximized over the screen .. and even then ... I can just
put the app over the panel ...

> You misunderstand.  GNOME is quite powerful, and lets say suddenly you go
> ahead and do something that leaves you with no ability to do anything unless
> you understand the CLI and .rc files.  You need something like, say
> Control-Alt-F12 to return to default.  Something like that(I don't really
> like some random key config, cuz it's documentation-dependant).

this is what session managment does ... no need for a keybinding ... just
start up a default session from gdm (or whatever the name will be)

or start up a different one you saved ...

though the apps aren't session specific, the system menu can't be changed
by a user anyhow ... so a user can always build his user menu any way he
wishes

> I see Redhat and GNOME becoming like Netscape with Mozilla.  Support,
> direct, contribute, and take the finished product and spread it throughout
> the marketplace.  If you don't think GNOME is going to have a standard WM,
> you're kidding yourself.  Whatever comes in Redhat 5.2 or 6.0 is going to be
> the standard GNOME WM.  The E guy *is* working for Redhat.  What's different
> is UNLIKE KDE, Gnome apps will run under any WM.  That's pretty critical.

you seem to be forgetting that redhat is not the only distribution out
there ... plus they did have this habit of putting more windowmanagers
in there anyhow ... so it's not like they will use one

and I really really doubt redhat would be as naive as to include E as the
default WM ... most likely the default in redhat will still be
fvwm2 and afterstep

George

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
George Lebl <jirka@5z.com> http://www.5z.com/jirka/
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