Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!gacvx2.gac.edu!gacvx2.gac.edu!scott From: scott@mcs-server.gac.edu (Scott Hess) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: UI idea...comments, anyone? Message-ID: Date: 5 Jun 91 06:53:00 GMT References: <1991Jun3.035743.28221@math.ucla.edu> <1643@toaster.SFSU.EDU><1991Jun3.210917.1157@math.ucla.edu><1991Jun4.035408.69 86@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu><1991Jun4.054438.2840@math.ucla.edu> Organization: Gustavus Adolphus College Lines: 73 Nntp-Posting-Host: mcs-server.gac.edu In-reply-to: barry@pico.math.ucla.edu's message of 4 Jun 91 05:44:38 GMTLines: 73 In article <1991Jun4.054438.2840@math.ucla.edu> barry@pico.math.ucla.edu (Barry Merriman) writes: In article <1991Jun4.035408.6986@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> mitroo@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Varun Mitroo) writes: >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. > >The second way would be to make a new version of the Terminal app >that has a mini browser associated with every shell window Both good ideas that would be good enough to make me happy. >I hope NeXT has something like this in mind for a future release. But don't look to NeXT for these things---they didn't really even make the Terminal App (its an adapaptation of Scott Hess' Stuart VT100 emulator). And I doubt NeXT's highest priority is making life a bit easier for folks who know what "grep -i -v" does. Technically, Terminal is their's, though - I want to nip complaints in the bud (though many complaints about Terminal apply equally to Stuart, there is a non-empty subset of them that don't :-). I agree that NeXT isn't as concerned with people who know how to use find(1) (I think find's a bit tougher test of Unix knowledge - considering how neat is is, and all :-). On the one hand, it would be nice to be able to do this stuff easily. On the other hand, NeXT's momentum is more concentrated on trying to remove the need for much of that stuff. My opinion is that they eventually will remove that need. Not so much because no one needs it anymore, but because no one knows how. There's nothing like a terminal-level connection to teach someone Unix. NextStep will tend to keep alot of people who would be better off knowing the Unix from ever learning what they need. No, the person to target is clear: Scott Hess, get on it and make Stuart 3.0 with the above features! :-) I've got $30 waiting here for you when you get done. :-). I'm listening. Not Stuart3.0, that's for certain (Stuart3.0 is starting to look like Apple's System 7.0, is it not?). This is still just a limited approach to the problem. What I'd really like would be a "smart" subshell that could work with Stuart to do amazing stuff having to do with help and the like. I could supply hooks to pop up panels and all, the subshell would then send special escape sequences to direct Stuart to do whatever needs to be done. For instance, there could be an escape sequence that would pop up a browser in a panel, browsing a specified. Then Stuart could send back the selected filename(s). I can modify Stuart - anyone out there want to write the shell? Maybe bash would be a good start . . . Now that I think about it, though, maybe there is room for a difference type of shell. For instance, a command-history looks mostly like a single-column browser, right? File selection is obviously a file browser. Running multiple commands would be done in multiple little windows, rather than backgrounded. Hmm, I'm getting too many ideas . . . Later, -- scott hess scott@gac.edu Independent NeXT Developer Graduated GAC Undergrad! Note: I have moved home for a time. My email address will still be valid. Any SnailMail should be redirected, along with phone calls. At the least, my parents can tell you how to get hold of me, or forward any mail . . . Old: PO 829, GAC, St. Peter, MN 56082 (507) 933-8466 New: RR#4 Box 227 Pipestone, MN 56164 (507) 825-2788