>> bar is detached from documents only as part of a parent MDI window. We've
>> had to ship apps using MetaCard's apprach, and Windows users have slammed
>> us with comments like "looks like a Mac port". If we had MDI, we'd really
>> have the same thing (all the way down to the compl
>
> I never met a Windows user who gave a damn about user interface, other than a
> vague sense or expression of unease and confusion when things don't work as
> expected. I have certainly *never* heard anyone complain (let alone "slam"
> anyone) about something that appeared to be a Mac port - maybe because this
> is a rare beast and/or implies familiarity with both UIs ?
He's a sociology researcher (he uses HyperRESEARCH, made with MetaCard as
listed at <http://www.metacard.com/apps2.html>), so he spends a lot of time
with his machine. :)
> I don't mean to be rude about Windows folks, but they live in a complex
> world where an application often survives if it is basically functional and
> just about usable. They tolerate windows slithering about in all sorts of
> unpredictable ways - whereas Mac users often get themselves into a froth if
> the thing just doesn't look 'right'. How often have basically OK products
> got the snooty "un-Mac-like" thumbs down from the Mac press?
There's a weird Gestalk with Windows -- it felt that way to me with Win3.1
(that version still does), but with Win95 they seem to have something that
has a certain consistent feel to it. I still prefer Mac and GNOME, but in
fairness I have to say that now that developers are finally grokking the Win
UI, it can have a certain consistent flavor (more like yogurt than ice
cream, IMHO -- no unhealthy but not as flavorful <g>).
> Richard. What was their objection exactly?
It's the MDI issue -- and possibly a good topic for discussion here: In
HyperRESEARCH, we have multiple windows working together to define the
workspace. There is only one document open per se, but it makes use of
other files, each with their own display windows.
At first I tried to follow the Win HIG and adopted the "project" windowing
model (the HIG describes three, the other two being SDI and MDI), but having
the menus mounted on the tops of the windows didn't make a lot of sense for
what we were doing.
Our solution was to move the menu bar into its own window at the top of the
monitor, like MetaCard and QuickTime do, but in my experience those are the
only two apps that do that besides HyperRESEARCH. While it works well
enough for our customers, and makes documentation a snap for a
cross-platform product like this, the best solution would be to have the
single, detached menu bar, but as part of an MDI parent window.
It's been a while since I've been able to play with GNOME (my lil' HP died,
and I haven't had a lot of client-driven need to spend the time to replace
it): How are these issues commonly handled in GNOME? Do they differ much
with WINE?
--
Richard Gaskin
Fourth World Media Corporation
Multimedia Design and Development for Mac, Windows, UNIX, and the Web
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