Re: Window Manager configuration utilities

[Paul Warren <pdw ferret lmh ox ac uk>]

On Wed, 7 Jul 1999, Matthias Ettrich wrote:
> On Wed, 07 Jul 1999, Paul Warren wrote:
> > Something that came up on gnome-list a little while ago was the need to
> > standardise window manager configuration utilities.  In a truly
> > integrated desktop environment, you should be able to change window
> > manager options such as focus policy, window cycling behaviour, or
> > whatever the particular wm chooses to make optional by clicking on the
> > menu, going to settings and hitting window manager (or similar) not by
> > hunting around trying to find that particular window manager's
> > configuration utility, written usings Any Old Toolkit (tm).
> 
> What's the point in having different window managers then? IMO a common
> configuration tool goes far over the scope and the goal of this standarization
> effort. 

I think you have missed my point.  I'm am not for a moment suggesting that
all window managers have a common configuration utility.  I am suggesting
that either:
(a)  Compliant window managers provide their own set-up utility in the
form of plug-in applets for the control centre.
or
(b)  The spec we are writing specifies a way for a window manager to
specify what and where its config utility is, so that it can be launched
from GCC. This functionality already seems to be there, but AFAIAW, it is
not in the existing spec - and it never seems to work.

For a really integrated feel, which is what Gnome lacks at the moment in
this area, we should go with (a), IMHO.  

I feel that what I am suggesting is very much within the scope of a Gnome
Compliant window manager specification.  This is however, Gnome specific
so if this spec is intended to be DE-independant, then perhaps we need to
create a second level of Gnome compliance, above this spec?

yours,

Paul