Re: Documentation (newbie) question.

[Tim Allen <timallen godzilla zeta org au>]

On Wed, 23 Jun 1999, a wrote:

> I think that the developer's documentation is comming out grat and its a
> very nice reference to have. Still, I think it lacks a more careful
> definition on the philosophy of gnome and the logical structure of the
> framework itself.

I agree - although at the moment I suspect there *isn't* a logical
structure. Free Software, inspired as it is by lazy programmers (the best
kind) tends to be functional rather than conformant. I don't know if
there's a deliberate avoidance of making firm UI specs, or if they just
got forgotten in the rush, or they just aren't obviously located..

> For example, how about some diagrams of the diferent
> objects that one might use.... With the relationships with other objects and
> such?????

Well, there's files, menus, launchers, panels, sub-panels (called
drawers), and applets. Some things can only live on the panel, some can
only live on the desktop or in gmc, and the odd few seem to be able to
cope with both. Files seem to be left-drag things, panel-things seem to be
middle-drag, except that you can left-drag launchers to the desktop (but
none of the other things...

> This is obviously a newbie question and Im really hoping that the flames
> wont come to hard.

Well, I'd love to flame you, but I'm afraid I agree altogether too much.
:)

I'd also love to help *write* a UI spec, if anyone else wants to join me
who knows what they're talking about (to balance my views ;) and if anyone
would ever *listen* to what we had to say. And also no time soon - I've
got exams this week, followed by exams next week, then three weeks of
computer-free (arrgh!) family holiday.. then I should be set, though. :)

Tim Allen
Who uses altogether too many :) 's