From: xtifr@netcom.com (Chris Waters)
Subject: Re: Some suggestions for OS/2
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 07:34:00 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 

In <181jlpINNabc@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> bbm@po.CWRU.Edu (Brian B. Mathewson) writes:


>Here are some suggestions for additional useful features that I think 
>OS/2 should have which I haven't seen posted to the net before.  If 
>someone wants to relay them to IBM, please do so.


>Things that really should be in OS/2:

>Systemwide compliance with drag-and-drop of fonts, colors, files, etc.
>(e.g. the more significant applets should support this.)  By 'files' I
>mean that you should be able to drop a text-file icon into a running
>E.EXE or EPM window, and have it insert the text where you dropped it.

Dunno about E.EXE (never really used it), but you can drag-and-drop a
text-file icon onto an EPM window.  It edits the file, rather than
inserting, but I think that I like this behavior better.  It puts the
file into the current EPM window, which is the important part.

>Also, support drag-and-drop of text (just like the objects in the WPS) 
>between windows, and make it easiser to mark and copy text from OS/2 or 
>DOS windows.  I dislike the extra steps needed.

That would be nice.

>Have mini pop-up menus in the applets like EPM, so you don't have to pull
>down menus, just click on MB2 somewhere in the window, then walk through
>the menus.

Press ALT-space.

>Have the option of using scalable ATM fonts in DOS and OS/2 text windows
>similar to DV/X.  Or, be able to use any font for the windows, not just
>the fonts installed in the display driver.

That could be nice--however, VDM and VIO windows should only use
mono-spaced fonts--otherwise, a lot of things will be very funky.

>Include a 32-bit equivalent of debug.

In the base operating system?  Why?  So the %0.000001 of the users who
want to do development, but can't afford/ftp a *decent* debugger won't
be stuck?  Seems pretty silly to me.  :-)

>OS/2 must eventually have a multi-threaded GUI system.  No one program
>should be able to hang up the rest (even though Ctrl-Esc works well.)

I can't argue one way or the other here, except to say that I've never
had the WPS lock up my other programs.  But then, I usually don't have
it loaded.  99% of my time is spent in programs, not the WPS, so I only
load it when I actually intend to use it.  I have had the WPS lock, but
since I run it as a child app, I can kill it, and everything is fine.

I haven't tried loading it twice yet.  I'm not quite *that* brave!  :-)

One thing I would *very* much like to see is better support for the
WORKPLACESHELL=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE environment from IBM.  How come I have to
have WPS loaded to get a PM clock?  Why can't I have a datafile launch
a particular app, just by typing its name?

Also, better support for the non-rodent-infested environment would be
nice.  :-)

>Is IBM planning to implement the little icons in the title bar which
>show up in the CUA demo?  It would be nice to put a "Save" or "Save as..."
>or "Load" button up on the title bar.

There are some extra buttons that occasionally appear (selectable from
the Options menu) on the titlebar of an EPM window.  The functionality
is obviously there.

>Have "bookmarks" on sliders so it's easier to jump back and forth between
>two (or more) different points.

Now *that's* a slick idea!!  :-)

>I'd also like to echo support for basic multimedia services included
>with every copy of OS/2 (with the option of not installing them) so 
>that you need not buy any extensions just to run a multimedia program.

TANSTAAFL.  If they add this crap^H^H^H^Hstuff, it will drive up the
cost of the base package.  No thank you.

What I would *really* to see is the ability to redefine the keys used to
do things with WPS and applets.  My fingers are used to EMACS, and I get
annoyed when I have to use the arrow keys or rat.  Other people are
probably used to WP or WS or QEdit keys.

Filename completion would be nice, for all those pop-up things that want
you to enter a filename.  The lack of filename completion is *my
biggest*, number one complaint about the WPS and the applets!!

Is anybody from IBM listening, or are we just spewing to hear ourselves
spew?  :-)
-- 
Chris Waters    | the insane don't | NOBODY for President!
xtifr@netcom.COM| need disclaimers | Because Nobody's perfect!!