Re: Desktop idea

[Jason Tackaberry <tack dok org>]

> be a good idea to make them into separate processes (using a common
> library), so that one crashing does not bring the other down, and you can
> use gmc without desktop icons).

I thought this was planned?  I thought the idea was to make gmc functionality
into a bonobo component and use that in a desktop process (as well as other
things like open/save dialogs).

> As for these desktop areas, how do these differ from windows without
> borders, at the bottom of the stacking order, which are session managed so
> that their state is saved between sessions?

That strikes me as being a bit of a kludge.  First, you'd have the whole
application loaded, menubar, toolbar, and all.  (Sure, you might be able to
disable them, but this detracts from the coolness of the idea.)  I might just
want a small peice of the spreadsheet canvas on my desktop.

Although, your idea can be massaged a bit.  I think once these things are made
into components, a simple app can be made to hold some arbitrary component.
Then you can make that app borderless and at the bottom stacking order.  Maybe
in fact this would be the best way to do everything related to the desktop?

Cheers,
Jason.