Very Computer

        I have an idea which some of you Linux advocates will call sick.
Tough. :*)  I'm thinking about the possibility of an X11 window manager
compatible with the Windows 95 interface, with all the buttons, borders,
etc.  It would be ideal to include the Start menu, the standard desktop
icons (such as My Computer, etc.), and possibly a Windows-style Control
Panel which will allow aspects of this WM to be configured.  What do
you think?

        Disclaimer:  I'm not an X11 programmer, so I can't volunteer.

--

:Hi,

:       I have an idea which some of you Linux advocates will call sick.
:Tough. :*)  I'm thinking about the possibility of an X11 window manager
:compatible with the Windows 95 interface, with all the buttons, borders,
:etc.  It would be ideal to include the Start menu, the standard desktop
:icons (such as My Computer, etc.), and possibly a Windows-style Control
:Panel which will allow aspects of this WM to be configured.  What do
:you think?

I think this is a pretty good idea. W95 has one of the better WMs I've
used (my favorite is CTWM, and I don't like FVWM in case you were wondering),
but it's not perfect.  I think the Bar on the bottom (the the start icon and
boxes for each minimized windows, always on top) is a good idea
(and one I certainly like better than [c]twm and ol[v]wm 's dropping
of icons anywhere on the screen, which almost always get covered up
by other windows).  Things I'd suggest changing:
   1.  Make it virtual.  I'm a ctwm fan, so maybe in the Start menu there
       could be a section to split between virtual screens.
   2.  I think the [X] button in the upper corner of all windows should
       not be there.  It makes it too easy to kill applications.

  --Jake

:       Disclaimer:  I'm not an X11 programmer, so I can't volunteer.

--

http://rowlf.cc.wwu.edu:8080/~n9146070/  SF, Pratchett, Deverry
"I realize this may come as a shock.  Perhaps you should sue us."
         Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Senior Editor, Tor Books

Quote:>Hi,
>    I have an idea which some of you Linux advocates will call sick.
>Tough. :*)  I'm thinking about the possibility of an X11 window manager
>compatible with the Windows 95 interface, with all the buttons, borders,
>etc.  It would be ideal to include the Start menu, the standard desktop
>icons (such as My Computer, etc.), and possibly a Windows-style Control
>Panel which will allow aspects of this WM to be configured.  What do
>you think?

Greg

Quote:> Greg

        While I am not familiar with CTWM (in fact, I've never heard of
it), I do run Windows '95 at work full-time and love the interface.  It's
probably the best GUI interface that I've used on _any_ computer.

:    1.  Make it virtual.  I'm a ctwm fan, so maybe in the Start menu there
:        could be a section to split between virtual screens.

        Yes.  I think this would be a good feature.

:    2.  I think the [X] button in the upper corner of all windows should
:        not be there.  It makes it too easy to kill applications.

        This is part of the reason why I love the Win95 GUI so much.  It
makes it easy to close apps and this is definitely something needed in
X-Windows.  I use fvwm and having to select "Delete" or "Destroy" on the
window menu is a pain.

Mike.

--
====================================================================

Northstar Technologies                        Compuserve: 76620,2534
Newmarket, Ontario, CANADA

: :    2.  I think the [X] button in the upper corner of all windows should
: :        not be there.  It makes it too easy to kill applications.

:       This is part of the reason why I love the Win95 GUI so much.  It
: makes it easy to close apps and this is definitely something needed in
: X-Windows.  I use fvwm and having to select "Delete" or "Destroy" on the
: window menu is a pain.
take the fvwm manual-page and study the section about the configuration
commands for your personal ~/.fvwmrc.
Have a closer look at the functions "delete" and "destroy" and bind them to
any event (ex: double click on title bar) you want to.

Greetings,
     Andreas

--
       +------------------------------------------------------+
       | Andreas Braukmann             University of Dortmund |
       +------------------------------------------------------+


       +------------------------------------------------------+

Quote:> Hi,

>    I have an idea which some of you Linux advocates will call sick.
> Tough. :*)  I'm thinking about the possibility of an X11 window manager
> compatible with the Windows 95 interface, with all the buttons, borders,
> etc.  It would be ideal to include the Start menu, the standard desktop
> icons (such as My Computer, etc.), and possibly a Windows-style Control
> Panel which will allow aspects of this WM to be configured.  What do
> you think?

>    Disclaimer:  I'm not an X11 programmer, so I can't volunteer.

jm.
--

        At least in fvwm 2.0,  and as far as I know, fvwm 1.24, you can add
buttons and define their actions in the window bar:

Mouse 0 6       A       Close

Does it for me...

                                                Dean S. Jones
                                                Gallant & Associates, Inc.

Quote:>    This is part of the reason why I love the Win95 GUI so much.  It
>makes it easy to close apps and this is definitely something needed in
>X-Windows.  I use fvwm and having to select "Delete" or "Destroy" on the
>window menu is a pain.

Mouse 1         5       N       Delete
Mouse 2         5       N       Delete
Mouse 3         5       N       Delete

In my .fvwmrc, this creates a 5th button (3rd from the right, leaving a blank
space to avoid accidental pressing) to delete a window. This correctly closes
most popup windows, and any app that has unsaved data will give you a chance
to save/cancel.

I intend to do a fvwm 3d scull and crossbone for the button icon, at the moment
I just have the crossbone (an X type shape), if anyone knows how to produce
the fvwm button discription from a bitmap please shout!

--

Why not os2's interface?  I have not used the win95 interface (and won't).
From what I know about this interface it was probably taken mostly from
os2 (ond other "real" os's).

What are the similarities in these interfaces?

Jay.

Quote:>>Tough. :*)  I'm thinking about the possibility of an X11 window manager
>>compatible with the Windows 95 interface, with all the buttons, borders,
>>etc.  It would be ideal to include the Start menu, the standard desktop
>>icons (such as My Computer, etc.), and possibly a Windows-style Control
>>Panel which will allow aspects of this WM to be configured.  What do
>>you think?

>That would probly be a benifit for small bussinesses that may use nt and
>linux as there server base if both could be given a graphical shell that
>would have the same "feel" to them.  Although I would love to see a NeXT
>like desktop for linux first.

http://sdcc3.ucsd.edu/~byang/screen.jpg

Ravi
--
Ravi K. Swamy                http://www4.ncsu.edu/eos/users/r/rkswamy/www/

Windows 95 makes it easy to kill applications. It does this without needing
any user input. It kills them automatically. It is just a question of time!

Torben

--

School of Electrical Engineering
Seoul National University, Korea

        Thanks for the tip, Andreas!  I have my fvwm slightly customized
from stock, but I didn't realize that what you mention is possible.

Mike.

--
====================================================================

Northstar Technologies                        Compuserve: 76620,2534
Newmarket, Ontario, CANADA