Re: OT: GUI [was:]Ann: TeXCAD 4.1

[Georg Bauhaus <sb463ba@l1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de>]

Preben Randhol <randhol+valid_for_reply_from_news@pvv.org> wrote:
: On 2004-03-17, Georg Bauhaus <sb463ba@l1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de> wrote:
: 
: Who is selling anything here?

I (also) meant that as a metaphor.

: Anyway from screenshots I cannot say I can
: see what is so much better with the Mac OS X toolkit.

That misses the "feel" compopnent of L&F. I _use_ a computer,
I do not just look at it :-)

: Well take a look at Gtk 2.4 that was released today.

Apart from a new file open dialog window (at last!) the new features
include some technicallities like support for the fact that not everyone
writes from left to right, and many graphical niceties.

However, as can be learned from advanced UIs before OS/2 and even
from OS/2, file open dialogue windows are a great leap, uhm, backwards.
Though to appreciate this one might need the help of a different approach
to UI design, like applications truly integrated with the OS, including
its GUI, literally. Like a document centered approach, or like the integrating
approach of Plan 9 (the *user* defines the user interface using what the
OS provides for this.)

: But I guess you would like to do a native Mac OS X version?

There is GNUStep, as has been mentioned. Mac OS X (relative of NeXTStep)
can get in your way too, why else have they invented Exposee? But as long
as GNU/Linux interface programmers (who by profession are not designers,
or perception psychologist, or ...)
are trying to catch up
with Windows(TM) there cannot be improvements in L&F, i.e. usability, as
they do not seem to see the great number of ideas absorbed by MS that
the producers of windows are carefully hiding behind the curtains.

One absurdity that is even present in KDE and that not even Qt could
prevent is deeply nested menues as a replacement for a whole usable
screen.