[openbeos] Re: app_server

  • From: Pascal Goguey <pascal@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 21:10:04 +0900

Hello!

Even being 2+ years old I don't think the BeOS interface is dated at
all.  Just because it isn't covered with candy looking GUI elements
like OSX and WinXP are doesn't mean that it is dated.  The other OSes
have gone overboard a bit I think (though at first I liked them.)  This
is especially true considering how much all this eye candy slows them
both down.

It depends on which direction is planned for BeOS (or xxOS, whatever
it will be called). If its is intended to stay in a geek machine status, I think
the design is fine. If a broader "market" is targeted, then the fashion
is a key point.

I used to like BeOS look and feel (as a small plus beside its wonderful
features) when I discovered it in 96 because it was quite a change
compared to the Mac's ubiquitous grayscale, and it was really
a lot better than the win stuff with its design that looked like designed in
the eastern countries during the cold war.

But now, the other OSes look better. There is a candy-like fashion,
and apparently everybody likes it. If even windows switched from the
cold war design to something smoother, there must be a good reason.

I guess (I can be wrong on this one, but...) one single window manager
is enough, but changing the look and feel is important. The main reason
is not that you can change the look and feel. The main reason is that
it allows an evolution of the default look and feel.

Well, the first target is to recreate BeOS, so it's clear what the first
look and feel will be. But after that? If the candy-like fashion goes on,
we need a default candy-like look & feel. Otherwise. we should be able
to develop whatever the new fashion is with a minimum of programming
effort.

Time for another beer. I'll be back!

Pascal


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