[GUI] Opinion summary.

[Wolfgang Jeltsch]

On Sunday, 2003-02-16, 16:13, CET, Axel Simon wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> after some correcting comments, I added a summary which I would like yo=
u to
> have a look at. It's in the same document at:
>
> http://www.cs.ukc.ac.uk/people/staff/as49/poll.pdf
>
> Thanks,
> Axel.

Hello again,

some mails ago I already talked about the two interpretions of "level":
    (a) functional (high) vs. imperative (low)
    (b) high level GUI concepts (e.g., common dialogs) vs. low level GUI
        concepts (e.g., single widgets or even drawing primitives)

Opinion 4c currently says that the common API shall be at a higher level =
than=20
the (L) interface. A problem is that it is not clear to which meaning of=20
"level" this refers. I definitely meant that the common API shall be=20
high-level with respect to (b). Another point is that I didn't want to ta=
lk=20
about differences between the "common API" and the (L) interface. In fact=
, I=20
wanted to say that already the (L) interface should be high-level in the =
(b)=20
meaning. Otherwise it would be hard or impossible to implement a=20
native-look-and-feel (A) interface on top of it. If, for example, (L) did=
n't=20
support file open dialogs directly, (A) would have to build them itself w=
hich=20
would probably lead to dialogs which are different from the platform spec=
ific=20
ones.

So I would rephrase 4c as follows:
    to achieve native look-and-feel on each platform, the common API shal=
l
    provide support for high-level GUI concepts like common dialogs or
    applications, not only for widget structures

Furthermore, in section 2 (objectives) you talk about the platforms "the=20
community is interested in". Does this mean that this covers all platform=
s=20
someone from the community is interested in or that it covers only those=20
platforms most people of the community are interested in. If the former i=
s=20
the case, I would like to see KDE added.

I favor KDE for the following reason: For me, it is very important to hav=
e a=20
consistent user interface and a good integration of the different=20
applications. Under Windows and even more under Mac OS (X) this is standa=
rd=20
but under UNIX systems it is not. To achieve this under, for example, Lin=
ux,=20
you have to use a desktop environment, not just a common GUI toolkit. For=
 me,=20
the best choice here is KDE because:
    * it is free
    * it provides a lot of functionality (compared, for instance, with GN=
OME)
    * it provides strong integration (again, compared, for instance, with
        GNOME)

Best wishes,
Wolfgang