[UI] What's next?

[Bill Schwab]

Hello all,

I was slammed for a couple of days and did not have much time to work
through the universe problem I was having.  Given that I can download
them from http://www.squeaksource.com/UIEnhancements/ and install via
the file list, I am fairly happy, unless there is a risk of getting
stale files that way??

I just repeated the installation on my Ubuntu box, and there were no
problems.  Re previously open windows, I suspect that the #topWindow
problems might be avoided by ensuring that only newly created windows
are open at the time of changing the theme.  For example, one can
install the packages, open new workspace(s), copy text to them, open new
browsers on existing methods of interest, close the old windows, then
change the theme, and it seems to be fine.

Do any of you have any regrets about installing Gary's packages?  I am
tempted to load them into my working 3.9 image.  Any reports of bad
experience would be appreciated.

Without any implied lack of gratitude, the changes are thus far simply
eye candy.  I find the debugger's appearance to be particularly enhanced
- which is appreciated because I see it so often :)   As impressive and
helpful as the changes are, I will stick to my long-standing assertion
that Squeak's real GUI problems are feel related.  Does this group want
to tackle that problem?  How?  Do we want to adopt Gary's work as a
foundation?  I am tempted to vote in the affirmative on the latter, and
hope that we will go further by taming the mouse-over activation and
focus madness.  Preferences are fine: I would not want to force
convention on others any more than I want to subject my users to (what
would appear to them as) random behavior as they move the mouse.

Gary's work is yet another illustration that native widgets are not
necessary to achieve any particular look, and I am confident we can
illustrate the same re feel.  My weakening opposition to native widgets
has been based in the discipline they would bring: by handing the
message loop over to a binary framework, Squeak would be almost forced
to play nicely from then onward.  However, there is something to be said
for themed design all done in Smalltalk.  I just need to be able to
idiot proof it.

Bill



Wilhelm K. Schwab, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Department of Anesthesiology
PO Box 100254
Gainesville, FL 32610-0254

Email: bschwab at anest.ufl.edu
Tel: (352) 846-1285
FAX: (352) 392-7029