[Eug-lug] Favourite WM/Desktop

[Bob Miller]

T. Joseph CARTER wrote:

> then explain why there are dozens
> of window managers out there for X11?  Surely they can't all be different
> sets of icons and graphics--one window manager could do that.

There are four hundred thirty-seven different window managers out there
for the exact same reason that every nerd in my generation wrote a
text editor and every nerd in the most recent generation wrote an mp3
player.  Writing one is just challenging enough to be interesting, and
it's a great way to personalize your computing experience.

I agree that Apple had a lot to do with the evolution of the WIMP
interface (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer), especially pre-1986.
The Apple Human Interface Guidelines from that era is still
recommended reading for anyone writing desktop apps.

Development of the desktop paradigm has not stopped since then, but it
has definitely slowed.  Post-Apple innovations include the wheel
mouse, tabbed panes, and multiple desktops.  (Yes, I remember Bill
Atkins' Switcher from late 1984.  It's not the same, IMO.)  And, of
course, ever-increasing eye candy as processors have gotten faster.
Apple wasn't even the first to ship pseudo-3D effect controls --
both Windows and X11 got there first and Apple was forced to catch
up because the Mac (System 6) was looking old-fashioned.

-- 
Bob Miller                              K<bob>
kbobsoft software consulting
http://kbobsoft.com                     kbob at jogger-egg.com