RE: "Official" gnome window manager

[<jheintz iconcomp com>]

I don't think that this kills the "absolute consistency" argument at
all.  In fact,
I think it means that someone should build a replica of win95, win3.1
and Mac
for those very people.

My father is a person who is capable of using a computer, but only
within his 
comfort zone!  He waited for about eight months with the Win95 cd in
hand to
install it simply because he was used to the win31 interface.  To make
my point
even more - he openly admitted that he was dissatisfied with the
performance and
reliability of win31!

I think we should have three tiers of support for window managers in
gnome:

Tier 1) Fully supported Gnome standard
Get a list of functional capabilities together that are part of the
gnome ui standard.
The MWM hints is a perfect example to include in this list..  Take this
as a 
requirements doc and build Enlightenment themes that can do, modify fvwm
so 
it can do, and so on.

Tier 2) Legacy window managers
This is the win95, win31, and Mac user interfaces.  Replicate them with
any solid
window manager - it doesn't matter which one to the people who will use
them.
Wherever possible translate the above capability list to map correctly
in the legacy
interface - tooltips in Win95 and so on.

Tier 3) Everything else!
These are all the other window manager that experience people with want
to use,
and should have the freedom to do so.


I entirely support the freedom of choice desired in the Gnome community.
 I also
consider it just as critical to provide a standard look-and-feel that
any window manager
could be adapted to.

Just my $.02 rant.

John

>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Jim Pick [SMTP:jim@jimpick.com]
>Sent:	Friday, February 13, 1998 2:11 PM
>To:	Marcus Butler
>Cc:	;
>Subject:	Re: "Official" gnome window manager
>
>
>Marcus Butler <marcusb@wspice.com> writes:
>
>> > Who needs absolute consistency?
>> 
>>  A desktop system needs it.  That is part of what a desktop system is.
>> Desktop systems are supposed to make computers easier to use.  New users
>> won't find it easier if one "Gnome" system they walk up to behaves one way
>> and another behaves and looks differently.
>
>> > Nobody is going to choose absolute consistency over choice.
>> 
>>  That is an poorly-researched statement.  New users will.  Whether or not
>> you care to admit it, different window styles *do* confuse some novice
>> users.  I have had to deal with several such people in the past.  Some of
>> them, believe it or not, were running Linux.
>
>I have dealt with many novice users too.  It is true that they want
>absolute consistency.
>
>Unfortunately, they want absolute consistency with what they already
>know, which may be Win95, Win3.1 or the Mac.
>
>Unless we do an interface and window manager that matches Win95
>exactly, the average user will have to spend some time to acquaint
>themselves with the new system.
>
>That should kill the "absolute consistency" argument, I hope.  :-)
>
>Cheers,
>
> - Jim
>
>
> << File: ATT00177.att >>