nanogui: Thread: GTK Ideas

> Gtk is probably too big for a low end PDA, thats just how things go.

By removing the themes you can save a lot of memory which might otherwise be
used by bitmaps, both in RAM and peristent storage.  There isn't a lot of
memory to go around and performance may also be a consideration.  By
rewriting GTK the size could be reduced considerably if for no other reason
than it being a rewrite.  Just consider the size of micro-Windows.  It might
even be possible for it share widgets with micro-Windows.  I feel that a GTK
compatible library would be very important for porting purposes as well as
keeping some kind of common standard widget API between X and nano-X.

As far as target machines go I would like to see this all running on 4mb
mono device (assuming the kernel + nano-X + widget libraries are in ROM or
Flash memory).  I see no reason why this wouldn't be possible even with a
GTK compatible widget library.

Jason

> > What about a CDE/KDE/Gnome style panel instead of a Windows style task
> > bar?  Application launching and window selection would have to be
>
> I don't think there's much difference really. One has a button with
> "Start" on it, and the other has a button with a picture of a footprint on
> it... Both have a menu system that lets you choose applications, both can
> embed applets.

The main difference if the way they minimize and the way applications and
icons dock into them, otherwise they are similar.

> > incorporated into the same panel more like Gnome to help save screen
> > space.  I have actually drawn some prototypes to see how things would
>
> It's called a chooser. Though keyboard shortcuts are probably more useful,
> especially if you're dealing with a touchpad or trackball.

Keyboard shortcuts don't tend to be user friendly, they are of course
manditory in the event that the mouse (or other pointing device) isn't
available.  You will also have to take into account the devices that don't
have a keyboard at all and function entirely through a touchscreen.

> > much screen space, it's too tall.  A handwriting recognition area should
> > also be considered in the overall layout.
>
> Handwriting recognition is a seperate issue.

Of course handwriting recognition is a totally separate project.  Since it
will require screen space the window manager will need to account for it in
a manor similar to the panel, which is why I talk about it in the same
context.  I don't have any specific ideas in this area but I'd rather see it
taken into account now rather than becoming an after thought later.  I don't
mean to start a discussion on handwriting recognition but rather how to
provide the screen space for it.

Jason

Hi,

On Thu, 17 Jun 1999, Alex Holden wrote:

> It's called a chooser. Though keyboard shortcuts are probably more useful,
> especially if you're dealing with a touchpad or trackball.

Now I have a 6.5" LCD on a wd90c24 ISA card and a touch screen on it.
I have a mouse emulator driver for this touch screen, and played with it.
Just with X, and some applications.
My main observation: the widget sets/window managers designed for mouse
just not suitable for fingertips.

I can't name the problems clearly now, but I will spend time to specify a
"good" widget set and window manager for touch screens/fingertips.

I think the touch screen/touch pad input devices will be very importtant
for nano-X

Bye,
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