Re: Look and Feel

[Richard Frith-Macdonald]

On 13 Feb 2005, at 12:52, Rogelio M.Serrano Jr. wrote:

> Im more concerned about first time users. If they try a next based ui
> first then they would think that the current mac/mswin interface is
> awkward. I myself got so used to the left handed scroll bar that i get
> confused whenever I use an mswin pc. The Next interface is so
> radically different that there is no other choice but to go against
> conventional wisdom.

I'm not sure I understand your point.  If you are saying that first time
users are going to be forced to use mac/mswin anyway, and that we
should therefore not do anything which might make it harder for them
to use those systems by pointing up their faults or teaching different
habits, I can kind of see it.

I don't find it convincing as it seems a little defeatist (also because,
while I find the mac/mswin behavior clumsy/irritating, it really doesn't
stop me using those systems when I need to).

I do find it convincing enough to say we should have options to 
customise
things (themes) at the behavior layer as well as pure appearance.
While I have no desire for an ms-windows theme myself, I strongly 
believe
that the system should allow others to build such themes if they wish, 
and
would support the inclusion of a them engine and a variety of themes as
part of the gnustep core.