Exit Windows..

["Blad, John Erling" <john erling blad aftenposten no>]

Any idea how usefull windows really are? If you forget
applications with multiple windows for a moment, how
often do you work in two radically different environments?

For example I often has a couple of xterms, emacs and a
browser running. This is more or less a closed environment
and I seldom change it very much. This often look something
like this

+[Emacs]----------------+[Xterm]-------+
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       +[Xterm]-------+
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
|                       |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+

When I check the browser I pop it up, reloads, take a look
(gee, it works!) and pops it back down.

Now, if you look at the Emacs-Xterm constellation
this is not much "windowed", is it? In addition, when I work
in the web browser I really leave those three windows as
I don't make sence to do anything in them (because I can't
see what I do - that's way I open the browser).

My idea is this: I don't work in windows, I work in collections
of applications. What I want to do is not to manage different
windows, I want to do my work in collections of applications.
Individual windows for each application gives me to high granularity.
I don't want the granularity and the asossiated fuzz.

The problem is to define such an environment easy. In a couple
of GIS-applications I know of this is done by building a *huge*
application with all kinds of neat gadgets. Not very wise...

One way around is to open an app with some special resource
on the window. When a window manager detects the resource
it knows it goes in a collection. Not very difficult even if
it is not something the end-user will do..

It could even be made special programs, "collection managers"
who could have special rules for how to manage the windows.
In fact Nautilus could be redefined as a collection manager.

If you are familiar with frames in a browser, it is almost like
frames. You have handles you can drag around, etc..

One step further, it is possible to add menus..

John