From: grimlok@hubcap.clemson.edu (Mike Percy)
Subject: Re: Some suggestions for OS/2
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 13:22:07 GMT

gershon@husc10.harvard.edu (Ethan Gershon) writes:

>great list! two other suggestions I have made previously:

>multiple desktops with and without logins to allow multiple users to
>use the same system etc... (kind of like XEROX's "Rooms for Windows")
 
At the rollout I went to, they had multiple desktop workareas as icons.
One was the OS/2 2.0 desktop, one was the OS/2 1.3 desktop, one was a
Windows desktop, and the last was a Mac desktop.  Now, I know I can
configure my desktop the first three, but not on the fly like that, and
no mention is made in the docs about a Mac desktop (not that I'd want
one, but it was a neat trick).  I know this isn't exaclty what you're
talking about, but I'd really like to know how this was done.  Anyone,
anyone?

>ability to change the basic appearance of windows: e.g. move where scroll
>bars and scroll buttons appear. add buttons, remove buttons, move minimize
>buttons. add a close button (instead of double-clicking on upper left button)
>and a bigger resize area like on the mac's lower right corner of windows.
 
And have damn windows open up where I left them last time I closed them.
OS/2 is in the habit of opening windows where it pleases.

>give out a good "make bootable diskette/disk" program as an applet. I
>still haven't entirely figured this out.
 
The one I got from hobbes (rexx script) worked nicely.

>include an optional pull down menu system for the desktop (like toolchest
>for X or (I think) rocket launcher for the Mac) that allows you to pull
>down a list of applications or other functions and execute a selection from
>them.
 
You can add programs to the OS/2 2.0 desktop popup.  For instance, under
Arrange on my pop-up (after a break-line) is OS/2 Shell.  Open
settings/menu and create another menu entry.  Then select that menu
entry and create another action on menu entry.  Find the program, and
viola!

>a basic collection of icons (including those that are used by the system)
>for OS/2 and DOS programs and functions

>icon converter for Win->OS/2 included with system
 
Yes to both.

>a mac-like trashcan
 
Our office shredder has a plastic bag under it, when it's full we take
it away and put in a new one.  The shredder could (to avoid
look-and-feel problems) change to a shredder with a bag when you
shred something.  A pop-up could allow for unshredding and emptying.

>X-like versions of windowed DOS and OS/2 prompts with long scroll back
>buffer (instead of just one screen worth of information).
 
I'd like a scrollback buffer as well.  You can get something like this
in an os/2 window doing a mode 102,80.  This gives you a hundre lines of
scroll-back.
 
I'd like (some are repeats of other's requests):
multiple desktops, so that I can have my desktop arrangement and my wife
can have hers rather than trying to compromise;
common dialogs for common things, but they'd better be good;
folders that open quickly, i'm sick of waiting for a folder to open then
populate itself with the icons;
better applettes, especially a nice, fast-to-open editor for quicky
things (Notepad!);
much better performance from the drives icon/program -- it takes
forever to get anywhere with this;
drivers, drivers, drivers -- SVGA On says I have the following
capability
[comment]
        Graphics Mode: 1024 x 768 x 16 colours.
[AdapterType]
        WESTERNDIGITAL
[ChipSet]
        PVGA1D

and I can drive Windows at that (and others) quite simply.  But I can't
get OS/2 to do the same.  Nor do I have drivers for my printer (Canon
BJ-10ex) except some "compatible" drivers which aren't fully compatible.
I want to be able to have a driver mechanism that says "Here's the
resolutions/modes your video card is capable of, which do you want to
use?" and have it done!  I want a printer driver that allows me to set
my printer up!


Mike Percy             | grimlok@hubcap.clemson.edu  | I don't know about
Sr. Systems Analyst    | mspercy@clemson.clemson.edu | your brain, but mine
Info. Sys. Development | mspercy@clemson.BITNET      | is really...bossy.
Clemson University     | (803) 656-3780              | (Laurie Anderson)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc