Operating Systems > Not Quite Mainstream OSes
New NeXTStep / OSX Based OS
hm_murdock:
I've got a question for you guys. jeff seems to be pretty arrogant in his thinking on this. he seems to want to turn the concept of this OS into being a Mac OS X clone... I think that's a bad idea.
this OS will be designed for PCs, and therefore, people will have PC keyboards. PC keyboards have Ctrl, Windows/Start and Alt. Ctrl will do what it always does, be a part of univerally accepted key shortcuts (ctrl V ctrl C, et cetera) alt will be a modifier for ctrl. Windows/Start... what's it do?
My proposition is to let it do what it does in Windows... operate system-wide commands.
Windows E opens an Explorer window
Windows F opens the Find window
Windows R opens the run window
Have functions like Windows K open a "connect to Server" dialog (Command K does this in the OS X Finder)...
Windows E would open a new file browser
Windows F would open Find
Sound familiar? The idea is to give Windows users a BETTER alternative... but it also has to be familiar. There are a number of people who undoubtedly use the built-in functionality of the Windows key. Why not provide a use for it?
He says use it to just only open a launcher menu, or even do nothing at all. He'd rather force users into doing it HIS WAY OR THE HIGHWAY. I vote for giving people the option, and letting them decide.
He says that this would be "unlike any other OS" which is a lie because Windows already does it.
If you're going to get Windows users to switch, you should offer similar functionality. Don't copy from windows, and don't copy from OS X.
update: his issue was that because I didn't SPECIFICALLY STATE that the windows/Start key would have a function of its own, then I intended it to have none.
by saying that it can do the "same thing that it does in windows" I could never have meant that it does something when you simply press it.
wow. just wow
DENSER THAN A NEUTRON STAR
[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: Jimmy's Always On Topic ]
further update:
we've figured it out...
hitting the start key will open a full-screen list of installed apps, a la F10 Launch Studio. the key will also be used for Windows-like shortcuts.
[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: Jimmy's Always On Topic ]
billy_gates:
after a long and heated debate with JJ. I think we have decided that having to separate letters to do the same thing would be kind of dumb. As in ctrl n would be a new window, but windows e would do the same thing. Does't make much sense. Instead the windows key shouold forward those commands to the shell (finder type thing). so if the shell command is ctrl n then windows n will do the same thing from anywhere in the system. And ctrl k will do the same thing as windows k. And for those few things not controlled by the shell, like logout and restart and stuff will have their own specific windows + key. that ctrl + key will not work in the shell.... but they can't conflict. So if ctrl + s is save in the shell (not sure what u can save in the finder like thing) then windows s cannot be shutdown. it must be save.
I think that makes the most sense.
Now when u just hit the windows button down and let go it will open something like this:
http://www.skinner.com/jeffberg/files/f10/
(note from Orethrius: link is dead, no forwarding address)
the first picture is when u first open it (press the windows key) the second picture shows the live search (as u type in letters it narrows down ur apps) now to keep the non apps function available visually, we would have hardcoded shutdown and restart and logout command in there at the top. However once you start searching they act like normal programs. So when i first open it, all the hard coded ones will be the top row. Then when I hit "in" to open IE they will disappear just like all of the other icons that don't match in would. Now if i searched for "shut" then they weould disappear except for shutdown. Make sense?
I think this is the most intuitive and simple way to get the best of both worlds. Easy to remember system wide shortcuts and a nice visual way to launch apps.
for more info on f10 go here:
http://www.chronosnet.com/&/products/f10/f10_product.html
(note from Orethrius: link is dead, Archive.org)
P.S. I do not insist that this OS be an OSX clone. but I do want a couple of things from OSX. Like the universal menu bar at the top, and a dock that can act like OSX (alghough it doesn't have to act "only" like OSX... it should be able to be set like OSX's)
Then another request is an OS 9 based finder (shell). AKA no folder can be open in 2 windows at the same time. Also it would save the folder size and placement setting not in.ds_Store or desktop.ini's but in the folders meta data. I also think Meta data on this FS would be good.
P.S.S. I resent being called as dense as a neutron star. JJ made no hint as to the windows key having another function. When he said it will work exactly like windows. that registered to me as it will work exactly how windows works when u do windows + e or whatever. There was no statement or hint to a different function of this key
P.S.S.S.
Me and JJ also shortly discussed the possibility of making this a 64 bit OS. the transition will happen soon, Might as well do it.
jeffberg over and out
[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: jeffberg: Mac Capitalist ]
hm_murdock:
I coulda called ya a black hole :D
billy_gates:
--- Quote from: hm_murdock ---I coulda called ya a black hole :D
--- End quote ---
true
worker201:
--- Quote from: hm_murdock ---My proposition is to let it do what it does in Windows... operate system-wide commands.
Windows E 0pens an Explorer window
Windows F 0pens the Find window
Windows R 0pens the run window
--- End quote ---
I've been using Windows for 10 years and I've never even heard of this stuff. And you'd be surprised how many daily Windows users have no idea what Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V do. I use the Win button on my laptop to access the start menu cuz I hate the trackpad, but that's the only thing I've ever used it for.
I sure as hell wouldn't lose any sleep over this.
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