Re: WM Extended Spec Summary, 6/21/99

[Cristian Tibirna <ctibirna total net>]

On Mon, 21 Jun 1999, Nathan Clemons wrote:

> * Updated the SMGL DocBook on the gnome.windsofstorm.net site (and the
> corresponding section on developer.gnome.org). Some people on the list I
> don't have an idea of who you represent, please review this and send
> corrections to me so I can get this up to, pardon the pun, spec.

Grrrr! Well ...

Cristian Tibirna, helping Matthias Ettrich rewrite the KWM and partnering
Havoc Pennington on gnome-kde get-along attempt.

> At this point I would recommend that we actually begin strong formulation
> of how to precede. Several recommendations and technical drafts have been
> passed about, but I think before we can get too in-depth about _how_ to
> implement it, we need to define _exactly_ _what_ it is we are proposing.

Thinking is good. Thinking too much is sure death of elderness.

Matthias presented a draft. Include it in the charter of the project. I'm
sure he's aware of propositions and discussions triggered and he (or
anyone else) will come with the 2nd edition very soon.

Before answering your specific questions, I touch some other issues
touched:

1) smart placement (in doubt here, I have something in mind, but let it
for later) and border/window snapping (attraction) - definitely - have
nothing to do with these specs. Those are WM features.

2) CORBA in wm, not! All a WM need to communicate with the desktop can be
done with X.

3) Proxying the root window, not! ICCCM has some nice points about why
not.

> What is the purpose of this specification, and what does it define? 

Creating a specification for concepts/mechanisms/behaviors/ window
managers are expected to implement/support in the world of new/modern
desktop environment requirements.

> What is compliance to this specification, and what benefits does
> compliance give to the developers and the users (separately).

Ideal goal is to reach a level where compliant WMs will 
- behave nicely in relation to, 
- put in value, and 
- profit from 

Put it blatantly, reach with desktop envirs the next level of WM
independence which X as a general environment sported in relation to the
vast majority of WMs in the last 15 years.

Benefits: intended uniform (general) feel of desktop envirs, no matter
what wm is used, while allowing free creativity to window manager authors.

> Over the next week I will be correlating the answers to these questions
> and entering them into the spec in development.

Thanks a lot for your work.

Cristian

Cristian Tibirna     : ctibirna@total.net     : www.total.net/~ctibirna
PhD Student          : ctibirna@gch.ulaval.ca : web.gch.ulaval.ca/~ctibirna
KDE contact - Canada :  tibirna@kde.org       : www.kde.org