user interfaces (was Re: GoBSD.com)

["Jonas Sundström" <jonas@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Martin P. Hellwig" <mhellwig@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 ..
> I really hate it when I have a root exploit in a 
> piece of software which didn't do anything
> useful in the first place.

Yeah, I too try turning off all the stuff I don't need.

 ...
> > At least we're on equal terms with Linux, which, while not perfect, 
> > appears to be doing ok.
> 
> I tried a couple of them, but they don't "feel" 
> like unix, all the bsd's in a strange way do. 
> If I feel the sudden urge to do windows I'll boot 
> into my XP partition or go get met a nice iBook.

Gnome/KDE it seems are trying to mimic Windows for the most part, with 
a little transparency thrown in. It's sad really. Not that CDE or NeXT 
was any better. The only really good GUI I've used was that of MacOS 8/
9. Windows is OK but boring. (designed to run each app in fullscreen)

I think it's time for some other kind of GUI paradigm, but I'm not sure 
what. (Some kind of tiling?) I just hope the "web thing" Microsoft has 
going doesn't catch on.

 ...
> > I want a stable, secure desktop that can interface well with my 
> > server(s).
> 
> XP does this quite nice with Windows 2003.

I can't afford it, and I hate having to resort to warez. My full 
version of XP Pro is the last Microsoft product I'll ever buy, except 
maybe an XBox. I'd rather not get stuck in Visual Studio land. I don't 
care about time to market, I just want freedom to do whatever, without 
the lock-in and without the Microsoft Tax.

 ...
> white text on a black ground asking friendly:
> 
> Would you like to:
> 1) Read E-mail & browse the Internet
> 2) Use productivity programs
> 3) Use that special just written for this sector program
> 4) Go to lunch, brake, toilet, home (logoff) or insane (quit)
> 
> I just as or even more userfriendly then
> placing a bunch off icons on the desktop.

There once was a big-button GUI shell for the MacOS, with exactly this 
purpose.. I hated it. :)) But then again, kiosk computers are there to 
annoy us.

Seriously though, your task-oriented supershell idea is a good one. 
Start coding!

/Jonas Sundström.                www.kirilla.com