[ale] Object Model on Linux

[Daniel Newcombe]

> OK Dan...Have you really looked at a properly configured CDE system? I am not
> 100% percent positive I know what "object component layer and user interface"

OK Steven...the CDE system I've played with is my Solaris 2.5 box.  
I'm using it as it came out of the box.  Yes, there is a file 
manager, but I'm not sure about dropping things on the desktop - I 
thought I'd tried but it wouldn't let me...I'll have to look again.

> has the workspace switch buttons on it, very similar to FVWM Goodstuff
> module but MUCH easier to customize).

And much like Motif, it is but ugly and takes up a lot of screen real-
estate.
 
> As far as making interfaces the same across applications this is also
> available in CDE. A completely integrated application can take

Then that is the kinda thing we need on Linux, just free - and also 
something that doesn't take up as much memory as CDE!!!  (And yes, if 
you haven't figured it out yet - I think that Motif and the CDE are 
about as ugly as bell-bottoms and tie-dye.)

> As far as having too many libraries to work with how is this different
> than the 1001 DLLs you have to work with in Winblows?

Very.  In Windows, the DLL's are usually parts of the program split 
out into dynamic libraries.  But in Windows, almost all of the user 
interface elements (scrollbars, buttons, menu's, file dialog's) are 
handled by the default Windows libraries (or in some cases, the 
Borland libraries, which are only slightly different).

With Linux, you have Xlib, Xt, Xaw, Xm, XView, etc...  Let's say an 
application needs a scroll bar...well, it could pull one from Xaw, 
Xm, XView, make it's own widget in Xt, or do everything in Xlib.   
And that's not including the Xaw3d library that an app may want, or 
the Tk/Tcl libraries an app may want, or the Openstep library the app 
may want - all which have their own unique way of handeling 
everything.  In one library, you use the middle button to move the 
scroll bar, in another,you use the left button, and so on.  There is 
no consistency, unless you use apps that use just one toolkit.  And 
that is nigh impossible.

And in the "free" software community, there is nothing which really 
approaches being a decent library for all this (though I hear good 
things about Qt)  Motif (blech) is probably the one that comes 
closest, and it ain't free...not even the runtime libraries are free, 
which would help out.  At least LessTif seems to be making good 
progress now.

But there is still no "free" thing for Linux/X like Win95, or as you 
say CDE.  I would be happy at least with a decent filemanager with a 
window manager with the ability to use the desktop like a directory.

> If you want to check out a really unusual window manager take a look at
> http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~s2154962/enlightenment.html

Yes!  And as soon as I get a Cray, I'll try it :)  It looks real 
neat.  Xaw-XPM is a great addition, but only if you have more than 8 
bit color!!!

"But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong."

Dan Newcombe
User Services
newcombe at aa.csc.peachnet.edu
"Huh-huh"