Patchcords

[Adam Ierymenko <api axiom choice net>]

I have a suggestion for a new form of GUI interface for Gnome which could
allow the same level of versatility (or possibly more) with GUI applications
as with command line applications using pipes.

You know how it is possible to string applications together on the command
line by using pipe characters to perform very complex tasks... well, I was
thinking: this reminds me of old audio equipment in which you would string
together instruments, mixers, fuzz-boxes, etc. with "patch cords."  Well,
imagine if applicaions had "jacks" in them (a little icon that would look
like a phono jack) and there was an icon somewhere on the desktop containing
"patch cords."  To interconnect applicaions and string them together for the
processing of data, you could plug patchcords into them and string them
between applicaions all over the desktop.  I can imagine this being
integrated with MIME so that plugs could have mime types associated with them
indicating what type of input or output they are.

For example, a GUI mp3 decoder could have an "audio/x-wav" output plug.. and
to pipe the output into something like.. say.. a graphics display program like
Cthugha you could grab a patchcord from the patchcord box icon and plug one
end into the "audio/x-wav" output on the mp3 decoder and plug the other end
into the "audio/x-wav" input on the graphics program.

I don't care if you use this idea, just give credit where credit is due. :)