Re: The goal of GNUstep 1.0 (Why Unanimous Consent Doesn't Work)

[Dennis Leeuw]

Hi Richard,

Richard Frith-Macdonald wrote:
> On 2005-10-26 08:49:52 +0100 Dennis Leeuw <address@hidden> wrote:
>
> > I think it is a clear goal. Something we can all agree on, I don't 
> > think there isn't anybody who doesn't want GNUstep to become 1.0. We 
> > just need a list of things to be done and a timeframe.
>
>
> Personally I see three, largely independent targets that I think, we 
> should be aiming for ...
>
> Target one:
> As already identified, gui/back  reliability/polish/10.0-release ... 
> proibably the most important target ...
>
> The two gui/back issues that really annoy me are ...
>
> 1. window manager interaction ... I want clicking on windows to work 
> *reliably*, so that when I click on any GNUstep window
> a. The application activates (shows its menu and panels, and raises the 
> window clicked on).
> b. The clicked winbdow starts accepting keyboard input
> c. any other GNUstep application deactivates (hides its menu and panels)
>
> 2. popup/pulldown menu operation ... sometimes (often) popup menus seem 
> to fail to track the mouse, so you can't select their buttons.


These points seem to me are THE goals for a 1.0 release. My question is 
about the next one. How much I would want to have Camaelon integrated I 
think it would be wise to move it to e.g. 1.1.
What do you think?

> And the one new development I'd really like to see is ...
>
> Camaelon integration into the gui.  I have no particular need for it 
> myself, but it's a good selling point and it's needed for my third main 
> target.

<Cut the app part. Just to stay on the (changed) subject>

> Target three:
> ms-windows support ... we've made a lot of progress on this, but we 
> *should* be taking it a lot further.  Personally I want to run GNUstep 
> on windows (when I have to use windows) and have it look/feel like 
> GNUstep/NeXTstep.  However, a lot of people want it to look/feel like 
> windows, so we need to have a windows theme (and Camaeleon built into 
> the gui as I mentioned above).  We need windows backend/gui development 
> work, and we need to be able to support both windows and OpenStep style 
> inter-application communications (cut/paste, DnD, services, 
> notifications, workspace/session management etc), though this isn't 
> going to happen quickly and must be viewed as a long term goal.

Here my question is also, is Windows a 1.0 goal or should it be post-1.0?

> Of course, there are many other things we want to do, but even 
> concentrating on three main targets is a LOT of work, and I don't think 
> having more than three formal goals is a good idea.

I think you are very right. We have to take little steps at a time. 
Thank you so much for this input. I think a task list is now emerging 
for a clear defined goal.

Let's here some more input!

With kind regards,

Dennis Leeuw