Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!ucbvax!prisma.UUCP!mo
From: mo@prisma.UUCP (Mike O'Dell)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.news
Subject: Window Warz
Message-ID: <8809021443.AA12775@uunet.UU.NET>
Date: 4 Sep 88 08:53:30 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 42


There has been a lot of conversation about "Has X Won the Window Wars?"

I can't understand why supposedly technically-minded people INSIST on
talking about winners and losers.  No window system on UNIX has anything
remotely like the software available on the Macintosh, so if you are
inclined to use "market choice" as your yardstick, THEY ALL LOSE.
Clearly, no Unix devote' likes this bit of fact, so we gotta argue over other
things.  I understand the problem - people want to go off and implement
software, but want to make sure they pick "the right one."  Sorry,
the world doesn't accomodate such things.  There is no "right one"
simply because they all have serious problems.  A few examples,
not to pick on anyone in particular

(1) X is a way to do device-dependent graphics across a network -
	changing screen resolution screws the application.
	This doesn't happen with NeWS.  There is also the toolkit issue.

(2) NeWS suffers from needing two programming languages, one worse than
	most assemblers.  This could change soon, however.
	It is still complex but flexible.  NeWS needs a toolkit, too.

(3) WINDOW SYSTEMS DON'T MATTER.  It is the consistency of the look and feel
	of ALL applications that matters.  NOTHING is worse than having
	5 applications up on your bottle and each one looks and acts
	differently.  Don't try claiming this ain't happening, 'cause 
	it is.  Until this is addressed, you are asking the wrong
	questions when you mutter about window system choices.

(4) Open Look is coming.  This will be a powerful force since it will
	be implemented on both X and NeWS, obviating the issue of
	which window system you write for (assuming the Open Look
	toolkit designers do a good job).  Open Look will not be
	the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything, but it
	will make it possible to write quality visual software for
	Unix that will run on more than one platform; something that
	is largely impossible at the moment.


	My opinions are my own.  Noone else would want them.

	-Mike O'Dell