RFE - API change from GtkMessageDialog to GtkAlert

[Gregory Merchan <merchan phys lsu edu>]

I realize that this is too late for the freeze.

I'd like to see a change from the GtkMessageDialog api to a GtkAlert api.
There are three parts I see changing for this.

The name:
 * GtkAlert is fewer letters and words so it requires less typing and the egtk
    minor mode for emacs will work correctly without modification.
 * The name is more suggestive of proper use. The essential difference between
   a dialog and an alert is that the user never requests an alert; an alert
   is an intrusion into the user's workflow.

The construction:
 * Alerts may have a Cancel button, an equivalent of OK, and possibly an
   alternative action button.
   - Error notices and informative alerts would have just an OK button.
   - Authenication alerts would have GtkEntry's to meet authentication
      requirements and Cancel and OK buttons.
   - Confirmation alerts would have Cancel (as such) and an OK-equivalent
      button labeled to indicate what is okayed. When appropriate they would
      also have an alternative action button.
 * The arrangement of widgets would be slightly different from that of
   GtkDialog. This is shown here indicating boxes (which would not be visible,
   of course) and placement of all elements even though entries and an
   alternative button would not appear together.

   +--------+------------------------------------------+
   | <icon> | <alert text>                             |
   |        |                                          |
   |        |          <auth1> [____________]          | 
   |        |          <auth2> [____________]          |
   |        |                                          |
   |        +------------------------------------------+
   |        | <alternative button>     <cancel> <<ok>> |
   +--------+------------------------------------------+
 
   The alternative button would be placed in the secondary area of the
    GtkButtonBox; an alert would not have a Help button and the alternative
    would be useful for alerts like the "Save before closing"-alert.

    |  A "Save before closing" alert would have:
    |
    |    <icon>               = the warning icon
    |    <alternative button> = _Don't Save
    |    <cancel>             = Cancel
    |    <<ok>>               = Save

   Running the space of the icon to the bottom of the window makes the alert
    more clear and more distinct from dialogs. Without this change, the
    alternative button would appear in the same place as Help does in dialogs
    unless it were kept in the primary area of the GtkButtonBox - doing that
    would place a potentially destructive action too near the safe actions in
    an alert like "Save before closing".

The third change would be to the api as necessary to afford this. I've not
 yet drafted any code for it, but Seth Nickell claims to have done so.

Breakage:
 * The GtkMessageDialog first appeared in gtk+ 1.3 so no part of the 1.2 api
    will be broken by this change that isn't already broken.
 * If the change does not appear before 2.0 it will lead to soon deprecating
    the new GtkMessageDialog api and having two active and overlapping api's.
    This could result in inconsistency of the user interface.



Hopefully,
Greg Merchan