Re: Running vs starting apps

[Alan <alan ufies org>]

On 23-Nov-2000 Michael T. Babcock wrote:
> ... but that aside, the task bar is those things that are taking up RAM
> -- from a ressources point of view, this is relevant.  On my handheld
> computer (an Apple Messagepad 120), all programs installed take up some
> amount of heap memory at all times so they can be activated based on the
> use of their data ressources, so there isn't much difference between
> starting a program and seeing that its already started.

I think part of it is on a PDA you really only have one app running at once. 
If you are on a PC you have finite resources, so you can't run everything at
once.  This harkens a bit to how staroffice/office/etc do it when they don't
say "start ms word" but just 'create new document', or 'create new spread
sheet', or 'create new image'.

This could be an interesting path to go.  Instead of starting up gimp you
select 'make a new image' or 'make a new gmc window'.  If the app is open, it's
new document is called, if not it's started first and then new is called.  Of
course, this sort of paradime doesn't work well for things like xterms (sure,
create new terminal works, but it doesn't really continue with the "document"
style).

In a way I think that desktops should take on an entirely new direction.  I
mean *completely* different.  Throw it all out and start again!  GNOME, KDE,
windows, mac, all of these desktop environments are based on the same concept
and ideas, with slight variations.  Why not move to something new like the
"sims" interface (mentioned earlier by delmar I belive).  I'm not saying use
*the* sims interface, but just something totally new like that.  

The other problem of course is that we're still working with (or rather on top
of), the same old unix OS, requiring us to have things like file managers,
terminals, etc.  There are some windows managers out there that are starting on
some totally new concepts like the LARS window manager
(http://www.fnurt.net/larswm/).  Of course, because to make something *really*
new you get a very, very unfamiliar environment which is unpopular and unused
due to the fact no one wants to use it!

My thoughts anyway....
 

-- 
Alan Bailward -=><=- <alan ufies org> -=><=-http://arcterex.net
Sometimes, too long is too long.
                -- Joe Crowe