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From: mitroo@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Varun Mitroo)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: UI idea...comments, anyone?
Message-ID: <1991Jun4.035408.6986@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 4 Jun 91 03:54:08 GMT
References: <1991Jun3.035743.28221@math.ucla.edu> <1643@toaster.SFSU.EDU> <1991Jun3.210917.1157@math.ucla.edu>
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Seems like there are a couple of ways of making the unix shell more integrated
with the Workspace.  The first way would be to have the shell become part of
the Workspace app and have a shell associated with every file viewer.
Something similar to how Improv hides all the rules for a worksheet would be
a nice way to do it.

The second way would be to make a new version of the Terminal app that has a
mini browser associated with every shell window (maybe attached to the top of
the shell).  You could either type "cd <directory>" in the shell or do it from
the browser.  Maybe this could also have a definable set of buttons along the
top margin of the window (similar to the shelf on File Viewers) that contained
frequently used unix commands.  One could drag and drop files from the mini
browser onto these buttons and the commands would be typed out for you on the
command line.  Of course, this would have problems for commands which need
parameters, but it wouldn't be too bad if you could just edit the command
using the cursor keys and just type in the changes.

With either of these methods, If you "su"ed to another user, the browser or
file viewer associated should change to the new user - maybe display the
current directory and username in the title bar of the window.

I hope NeXT has something like this in mind for a future release.

Varun
-- 
You are young, they are old Control is all they've got to give
Just live how you want to live Tiny things that make you slave
Like a chain, an anchor to the bed of the sea