Re: StepBox v1 - Yet another GNUstep window manager

[Chris B. Vetter]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 15:44:45 +0200
Larry Cow <no@spam.org> wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 09:17:29 -0400
> "Yen-Ju Chen" <yjchenx@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >   Some features of GWorkspace can move to StepBox, such as Fiend,
> >   since I don't use file manager a lot, but want a dock support.
> IMHO, Fiend (or dock) should stay outside of the WM for two reasons:
> - It allows switching WMs without losing one major part of the
>   interface.
> - It allows it to be more GNUstep-compliant (e.G. to be in ObjC
>   and to use GNUstep libs).

You can add a third reason:

- a (GNUstep-based) Dock will add another layer (AppKit) which is, as
  stated before, not thread-safe

> It should be better if he only does "Window Managing" (think of
> WindowMaker without Fiend or Clip, or even background management).

Configure Widow oops Window Maker with --enable-lite ... (if that still
exists/works)

> Things like Dock, Root Menu and all this should be left to a "real"
> GNUstep app. This would also help porting to non-X backends (OpenGL or
> DirectFB).

A root menu could be open for debate, IMHO, there shouldn't be one.

For a more NeXT'ish "feeling" you'd run a minimalist window manager
(think of wm2 or wmx with a NeXT look) and any Workspace application
(GWorkspace being the only one right now) on top of that.

-- 
Chris