Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!texsun!convex!rosenkra From: rosenkra@convex.com (William Rosencranz) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Standardized GEM look and feel Message-ID: <1991Mar31.043722.10904@convex.com> Date: 31 Mar 91 04:37:22 GMT References: <2232@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU> <1992@tharr.UUCP> Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account) Distribution: comp Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx. Lines: 54 Nntp-Posting-Host: convex1.convex.com when i wrote the "innocent" statement that there is no real GUI standard for GEM, i was thinking along the lines of Motif(et al)-like standards which are widely distributed and for the most part widely accepted and adopted. sure, all atari GEM application that use windows have the closer box in the same place, the sliders in the same place, etc. most of them even function the same. but there is more to a GUI standard than just how windows look on the screen. a GUI standard has pros and cons. the major pros are: o app "looks" and runs the same under many different platforms (and yes, i understand that GEM applications only really run on GEM systems: ST and PC) o (hopefully) applications can be ported easily to other platforms these are EXTREMEMLY important pros in the big picture. it makes using applications very easy since learning curve is climbed only once. it makes writing applications more difficult, but in the long run easier since the ports are easier. the cons are: o restricted from lots of "cute" programming which is non-portable o speed may be sacrificed o some things can't be done or are awkward on a specific applicaion domain (e.g. DTP, music, etc) to this end, i still don't think there is any real standard. and there is no well adopted documentation on such a standard i can point to. if there is, few programmers follow it because it restricts "cute" porgramming practices (which i have nothing against, BTW, and often, on the ST at least, the thing which makes a program successful). the desktop is as close to a standard as we have, IMHO. and it is not that bad, either, though it is difficult to use if you are a heavy duty programmer (>1000 lines per week). of course, on the ST you have the distinct advantage of reverting to a command shell with a single double click on your favorite shell. and if there IS a widely available document dealing exclusively with programming practices for GEM, i would sure like to hear about it, whether it comes from atari or elsewhere. note that i have most every book ever published (in the US) on the ST, including all those which are out of print (abacus, sybex, etc etc). i also have the developers docs. enuf said... -bill rosenkra@convex.com -- Bill Rosenkranz |UUCP: {uunet,texsun}!convex!c1yankee!rosenkra Convex Computer Corp. |ARPA: rosenkra%c1yankee@convex.com