fd.o HIG

[Alex Perez]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004, Rahul Sundaram wrote:

> Hi
> 
> > Then this isn't FDo material; take it elsewhere. 
> > FDo is not
> > "GNOMEandKDE.org" it's "FreeDesktop.org", and ROX
> > and GNUStep are just
> > as Free as GNOME or KDE.
> 
> You have misunderstood it. Rox or gnustep isnt
> included because they havent documented their designs
> and guidelines. It is impossible to include

Whoa, this is completely false. I call bullshit. Visit 
http://docs.sun.com/db/doc/802-2109?a=load 
for the OpenStep HIG, which is what GNUstep apps adhere to.

> everybody's idea. we can create a guideline first and
> except those interest to comment on it and revise it
> as necessary. if gnustep or rox developers wish to
> comment or participate they are most welcome

Well, there are at least a few GNUstep-desktop type people subscribed to 
this list, that I know of firsthand.

> > > targetting stuff for windows or mac users here.
> > 
> > So any cross-platform application (and the desktop
> > is definitely part of
> > the platform) will still need separate UIs for OS X
> > and Windows targets.
> > Having a unified look (and that's all you can get
> > with a HIG) across two
> > platforms (GNOME and KDE) while still having a 100%
> > alien look on other
> > Free desktops and other non-Free desktops doesn't do
> > a developer a whole
> > lot of good.  The proposed HIG's scope is too small
> > to be of any
> > practical design use.
> 
> of course different different systems have different
> design decisions. a cross platform application like
> firefox would be targetting the fd.or hig for
> freedesktop enivorments and windows and mac guidelines
> for those operating systems. 

Not necessarily. Firefox has a native cocoa interface, which,m once 
Objective-C++ is out in GCC 4.0, we will be turning into a native GNUstep 
app. Don't make sweeping generalizations, since they are usually false.

> Having a consistent look and feel when you use
> freedesktop enviroments in the goal here. not to
> create a cross operating system guideline.

Part of what separate the desktop environments and make some people like 
one and some like others is the variation in HIGs. You want to unify them 
without a full understanding of this fact. YI don't think you'll ever 
succeed.

> UI differences might exist. The HIG would just be a
> basic set of guidelines at first. one step at a time

Might? *MIGHT*? hah. no further comment. I'm going to shut up now.

> its NOT a new hig but an amalgamation of existing
> acceptable design decisions. these can be revised to
> cover new things later on

How is that not a new hig?

> > If you actually want a HIG that is of *any* use, you
> > should perhaps work
> > on actually unifying the HIGs of KDE and GNOME. 
> 
> 
> This is *exactly* what I proposed that we do in my
> first mail. Please read it first. The unified HIG
> would be the fd.o HIG
k
<naysayer>It'll never happen, and if it does it will be watered down, 
worthless crap</naysayer>

Alex Perez