Here are bits of my experience, in response to the suggestions:
On Thu, 16 Mar 2000 09:17:06 +0100, Michael Polak wrote:
> 1) Users don't like overlapping windows: it is good to have all
> productive content on the screen all the time.
I like multitasking enviroments. But I dont like overlapping windows.
Fact: when i'm in a GUI, I always use have all the windows expanded
to their maximum size, usually leaving only the task manager (if its
in a taskbar form) visible on the top or buttom for a quick "so what
is running?" and window selection menu. On Windows 3.11, where there
is no taskbar (unless you use Calmira, which I am now using there),
I used to pop-up the task manager quite recently. Was more comfortable
then having to search the desktop for that minimized icon.
> 2) There is urgent need for integration of file manager, e-mail reader
> and web browser. The way Windows and other desktops are doing it weird,
> and it don't really enable full potential of computer, which is to be
> MORE than your desktop, not just immitation of desktop
I've seen Windows 98. Its awful. The browser is EVERYWHERE, including
in places where its obviously not needed. As far as I see it:
File manager should be the primary utility, with it and and a program
menu being the main programs that will be availble on start.
Browser and E-Mail are essential, but secondry to the manager.
You have to think of the internet as a "resource". Yet its not
a resource that is availble to everyone, and always on demand.
Dial-up prices + limited ISP account, anyone?
One thing not to do: HTML in the file managment. A total no-no.
MS crossed the line in that one. Same goes to KDE.
> let's make also
> e-mail messages equivalent to files, not only mail folders to
> directories. This means that display method for left column must be
> really radically different from traditional "one-item-per-line" scheme
Intresting. But what is the "one-item-per-line" scheme?
> 4) Clicking anything in "tree window" would always cause target to be
> "wide window", while clicking in wide window will keep objects opening in
> the same window.
There's a war going on as far as "file managment concepts" goes. :)
Some people like the 'tree on one side, files on the other" view.
I like the "double windows with files in each side" view, like in NC.
Maybe making it costumable like in NC would be the best idea.
> 5) There would be easy, Norton-commander-compilant way to copy between
> two windows: eg. if you open FTP site, either as tree expansion in
> narrow column, or fullscreen in wide column, you would be able to to
> select multiple local or FTP files and copy or move them to opposite
> window using F5 or F6 key and delete then with F8. But same will be
Since there is no good fully featured not-CLI FTP client for DOS, I
usually end up staring at NC5, wishing for it to be able to access FTP
sites like Midnight commander for Linux and FAR for Win9x can do.
Michael, how about making a small graphical illustration of your idea? :)
Such "screen-shots" always help to understand what you mean.
Or Botton
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