Re: [wmii] Stacks

> A lot of how I try to think about window manager type
> stuff comes from saying "how do I work in the
> real-world on a desk, and how might that translate
> into computer terms?". Keeping this in mind might help
> see the approach I'm coming from.

I'm of the strong opinion -- nay, conviction, that a great
many of today's user interface problems arise from this
way of thought. A computer screen is not a desk, and
making it emulate one will only bring problems. Trying
to copy a desktop makes as much sense as trying to
copy a typewritter(oh wait! xterm! :P)

That said, you make a good point here:

> What's interesting about the above sequence is not
> that it's hyper-efficient, but rather what I DON'T
> have to do. I don't have to think: that's a paper in
> pdf format, so I have to go through "pdf object
> inspection mode" to look at it. (That's be analogous
> to focussing the pdf reader and searching for it in
> "Previously opened files" menu.) Likewise, I don't
> have to think "it's exact title was 'New perspectives
> on density...', so scan down the list of files for N,
> now make sure I get that one and not 'New
> perspecitivity relations in multi-camera...' "

Everything on your desk (besides the huge coffee
mug ;)) is essentially just ink or lead on paper. Text,
with some images here and there. You open it by
picking it up, read it by looking at it. You do it the
same for every piece of paper. A good system allow
a universal and transparent way to open files, such
as the plumbing system in plan 9. You really should
take a look at it, in acme I right click any piece of text
and if it's a file it opens up in its appropriate viewer.

Regards, David
Received on Thu Mar 02 2006 - 00:24:24 UTC