Re: [Usability] Re: Decision: instant apply window buttons

[Gregory Merchan <merchan phys lsu edu>]

On Mon, Jan 21, 2002 at 05:52:10PM -0500, Havoc Pennington wrote:
> 
> Gregory Merchan <merchan baton phys lsu edu> writes: 
> > We don't need a new type and there's no UTILITY type at
> > http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/wm-spec/x186.html
> >
> 
> It's in the CVS version. See wm-spec-list archives.

Found it. Is the CVS viewable by web interface on anonymous access?

(I wouldn't be too concerned about having more special types than Mac or
 Windows. They don't run on X.)


> > This means a normal title and maybe borders and that Maximize/Restore and
> > Resize are not included. This leaves Close, Menu, Shade/Unshade, Minimize,
> > Stick/Unstick, and Move as the possible window operations.
> >
> 
> I don't think relying on !resizable is right here. Take for example a
> window containing a list. Windows containing scrollable elements like
> lists should almost certainly be resizable so you can increase the
> scroll area. Preferences windows can certainly contain lists.

If it is prudent for these to be resizeable, then nothing special need
be done at all for the window manager. They are NORMAL and that's it.


> >   http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnwue/html/09_06.GIF
> 
> OK, that is type UTILITY - in MacOS terminology - and has the funky
> mini-titlebar and lacks the Menu control in top-left.

Yes, that one is.  Windows doesn't have instant-apply prefs like Mac,
NeXT and OS/2 do. The utility windows are the only things on Windows that
are instant apply. Every form of instant-apply window on Windows, Mac,
NeXT, OS/2, and apparently Amiga too, uses the window frame close button and,
of the possible buttons, only that button to close the window.


> There is no way prefs windows should have the funky mini-titlebar or
> lack the Menu control.  They are not persistent like toolboxes. You
> open them, you change one pref normally, you close them again. That is
> a transient dialog, not a palette/toolbox.

It's only a dialog if you have to somehow OK it.
The Mac nomenclature is simply wrong on this count.


> 
> Havoc


Cheers,
Greg Merchan