Javability (Java, Zaurus, Linux, Live)

20.5.05 15:06 Dockable Desktop (

)

I love to work with dockable components, like Eclipse views which can be placed where ever you want in the IDE. Dockable window is for me the most effective solution to the limited screen space problem and complex window layout.

I wonder why it is restricted to applications and if there is any window manager out there which supports dockable windows, or even better, dockable components of applications. Imagine your entire desktop would be like Eclipse and you can add the mail list component from Outlook, the task manager cpu graph, the sql editor component of your favorite SQL editor and whatever else component (KParts) to it. This way you could organize your working area (workspace) as you need it.

The following would be needed:
1. generic API of all current dockable frameworks for cross-framework support
2. Applications must use components (parts, views...) instead of fixed MMI
3. a window manager which act as component manager (drag and drop of components, sliding auto-hide, floating dockable window, save and restore perspectives...).

Point 2 is probably the most difficult. In the meantime, I would be happy if KDE and Eclipse could provide unified components (KParts, views) and I found a window manger which allows me to place this new kind of component on the desktop.

Update 23.05.2005
There is an interesting presentation from Tom Schwaller about Linux solution for Linux users (German). After praising the advantage of choice (IDE, desktops, database, mail clients, open source software...), he mention on slides 26 and 27 some architectural difficulties due to choice.

The first one is: "No interoperability on component and plug-in level". He ask why he can't share plug-ins between Eclipse, gimp and KDevelop and he wish there were an Universal PlugIn Containter. As PlugIn runtimes he mention Eclipse, KDevelop, OpenOffice and Mozilla. As I wrote above, I would like to see an desktop environment acting as plugin container.

Read the presentation for more architectural challenges: use different programming languages in parallel (and mixed together), standard scripting interfaces, high dependencies of application frameworks, DBUS, Universal application container, inversion of control, best of Java and .Net ...

posted by Jean-Marc Autexier | 0 comments | Permalink | Send to Friends | Google it!

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