Xref: utzoo comp.windows.x.motif:2350 comp.windows.open-look:1052 comp.windows.x:34649 comp.windows.misc:1893 comp.unix.misc:1215 news.misc:6366
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!utoday!info
From: presto.ig.com!dow@uunet.UU.NET (Christopher Dow)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.motif,comp.windows.open-look,comp.windows.x,comp.windows.misc,comp.unix.misc,news.misc
Subject: Re: Question for net.views column in UNIX Today!
Message-ID: <9103311549.AA20101@presto.ig.com>
Date: 31 Mar 91 15:49:13 GMT
Sender: info@utoday.com (UNIX Today!)
Organization: IntelliGenetics, Mountain View CA
Lines: 50
To: netviews@utoday.UUCP
In-Reply-To: <1991Mar29.195953.2421@utoday.com>

In article <1991Mar29.195953.2421@utoday.com> you write:
>
>	*******************
>	*   QUESTION #2	  *
>	*******************
>
>	Is a single GUI standard really necessary?
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>	This question is being posted to gather responses for a regular
>column in UNIX Today! called "net.views". The purpose of the column
>is to generate user response to questions of importance in the Unix
>industry. 
>	By sending an e-mail reply to the above question, you are
>granting UNIX Today! permission to consider your comments for
>publication. A summary of *all* e-mail responses to this post will be
>posted in this group two weeks from today.
>	/* Please include a daytime telephone number! */
>------------------------------------------------------------------------


	 I think it would be useful, although I'm not sure how useful.
The Mac originally had a standard interface, which has evolved over
the years.  Mac programs today have a lot more GUI features than they
did six years ago.  I say this because I don't think a GUI standard
would stagnate user interfaces.  The basic point is, some of the
things should be standardized, but most should be left up to the
descretion of the GUI designers.
	Things that should be standardized:

	Window Manipulation: Resize, move, iconify, maximize, etc.
	Placement of Menus:  File, Edit, Help.
	Desktop environmetn.

	Basically, this will provide the means to get started on
anything, without preventing the designers from putting needed
functionality in their programs.  Most of what I've suggested already
exists, if you look at Windows, PM, Motif, and OpenLook.

	An interesting experiment would be to post another question
asking what GUI people use, then cross-reference it with the original
answers. 

	
-- 
Chris Dow                             IntelliGenetics
Software Engineer                     700 East El Camino Real
icbmnet: 37 22' 39" N, 122 3' 32" W   Mountain View, Ca. 94040
dow@presto.ig.com                     (415) 962-7320