Re: FVWM: Re: "active focus" applications (MetaCard)

From: John Gotts <jgotts_at_engin.umich.edu>
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 21:13:27 -0400

In message <199610242300.RAA06836_at_deck.metacard.com>, you wrote:

>PS: I've just discovered another interesting problem with fvwm that is
>just more evidence that most people using it are not using real GUI
>applications very much: it doesn't even enforce modal dialog behavior!
>Both mwm and olwm have properties that an application sets to indicate
>that a window is a modal dialog (e.g., an error message) and the user
>must respond to that dialog before continuing to work with the main
>window. MetaCard sets both sets of properties, and fvwm is apparently
>not honoring either of them...

Robert Nation made this a compile-time option in fvwm 1.x. I believe the
preprocessor macro he chose was -DMODALITY_IS_EVIL.

Modality is a feature that can almost always be avoided by better programming.
See 6A (O'Reilly's _Motif Programming Manual_), any other decent Motif
programing book, the Motif newsgroups, and the Motif FAQ for more information.

Here's an excerpt from _The Motif Style Guide_, written by the Open Software
Foundation:

             Modal secondary windows prevent the user from
             continuing to work in the existing window from which
             the secondary window was opened. Only use modal
             windows in rare situations where there are extreme
                                                        ^^^^^^^
             conditions that prevent the user from working in the
             ^^^^^^^^^^
             existing window. Even though users cannot interact
             with elements within the existing window, they should
             still be able to interact with the existing window
             itself. As an alternative to providing modal secondary
             windows, use a modeless secondary window and make some
             of the choices in the primary window unavailable. For
             more information, see Provide Modes when Appropriate.

When I started out with Motif, I thought modality was the best thing since
sliced bread, because I could be lazy. After more experience, however, I
learned my lesson. Modality sucks. You should never force the user to only be
able to use one window. If you'd like some concrete examples, I have many (as
I was a full-time Motif programmer over the summer).

Don't tell me I'm not using real GUI applications much; don't even tell me I'm
not a GUI programmer. Are you looking to be flamed accusing people on a window
manager mailing list of not using "real" GUI applications? Your words reveal
to me at least that you don't even know what "real" GUI applications are.

--
John GOTTS <jgotts_at_engin.umich.edu> http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~jgotts
Senior, EE/Motif Programmer/SysAdmin/Linux Hacker/Amateur Radio Callsign N8QDW
--
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Received on Thu Oct 24 1996 - 20:14:16 BST

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