Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!milano!banzai-inst!wex
From: wex@banzai-inst.sw.mcc.com (Alan Wexelblat)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: The Window Focus Problem
Summary: Be careful what you blur - focus is not always self-evident
Keywords: feedback windowing interfaces
Message-ID: <1730@banzai-inst.sw.mcc.com>
Date: 14 Dec 88 19:47:55 GMT
References: <318@aratar.UUCP> <651@sdics.ucsd.EDU> <1073@arctic.nprdc.arpa> <1168@arctic.nprdc.arpa>
Organization: MCC, Austin, TX
Lines: 20

In article <1168@arctic.nprdc.arpa>, trejo@nprdc.arpa (Leonard J. Trejo)
suggests that we help focus by some sort of reduced-contrast or blurring
scheme.  I just wanted to point out that the user's focus is not always so
simple as the-window-where-the-mouse-currently-sits.

For example, I frequently have tasks running in two or more windows at once.
I then use a buffering interface (such as more(1)) to allow me to control
the rate at which information is presented in one window while I type/take
action in another window.  Even though my cursor remains most of the time in
the latter window, I would be extremely annoyed by a system that reduced my
ability to read other windows.

In summary - let's not get so hung up on focus that we forget why we
invented multi-window systems in the first place.


-- 
--Alan Wexelblat      ARPA: WEX@MCC.COM
                      UUCP: {rutgers, uunet, &c}!cs.utexas.edu!milano!wex

The only problem is:  what do you do when they come back with the broom?